THE  LIBRARY 
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IN  MEMORY  OF 
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PRESENTED  BY 
JEAN  CORLE 


,O 


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124       Longitude  East  128 


Van  Diemen' 

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JAPAN  AND  KOPvEA 


SCALE  OF  MILES 


50  100 

Railroads- 


om  Greenwich        132 


THE  STORY  OF  JAPAN 


BY 

R.   VAN    BERGEN,    M.A. 


NEW  YORK  •:•  CINCINNATI  •:•  CHICAGO 
AMERICAN   BOOK   COMPANY 


COPYRIGHT,  1897,  BY 
AMERICAN  BOOK  COMPANY 


STORY   OF  JAPAN 

W.  P.  2 


2To  ing  Sfon 
EDGAR   M.   VAN    BERGEN 

OF  TIENTSIN,   CHINA 
THIS    BOOK    IS    DEDICATED 

AS   A   TOKEN    OF 
WELL-MERITED    AFFECTION 


2037467 


PREFACE 

OUR  nearest  neighbor  across  the  Pacific  has  been 
reckoned  among  the  foremost  nations  of  the  earth 
ever  since,  in  the  late  war  with  China,  she  humiliated 
that  vast  but  inert  empire.  Japan  will  have  a  voice 
in  the  future  destiny  of  Asiatic  countries,  and  in  that 
of  the  islands  of  the  Pacific. 

Our  schoolbooks  on  geography  and  general  history 
touch  but  lightly  upon  the  Japanese  Empire,  and  it  is 
for  the  purpose  of  enabling  children  to  obtain  a  cor- 
rect idea  of  the  people,  and  of  the  impulses  leading 
to  the  rapid  progress  of  the  past  quarter  of  a  cen- 
tury, that  "The  Story  of  Japan"  has  been  written. 

It  was  deemed  essential  to  explain  repeatedly  the 
key  to  the  history  of  Japan  and  to  the  reforms  of  our 
time,  by  noticing  the  overpowering  influence  of  the 
samurai  of  old,  who  were  and  still  are  the  makers  of 
the  nation. 

With  a  very  few  exceptions,  the  nobles  of  Japan 
have  been  wholly  dependent  upon  their  leading  samu- 
rai, who,  in  turn,  have  been  influenced  by  the  ablest  of 
their  peers.  Ever  since  the  shoguns  or  regents  trans- 
acted the  affairs  of  the  government,  these  samurai 
5 


have  been  the  real  rulers  of  the  country.  The  people 
never  had,  nor  have  they  now,  a  voice  in  public  affairs. 
The  shizoku  or  samurai,  of  whom  there  are  four  hun- 
dred thousand  households  in  a  population  of  almost 
forty-two  millions,  have  absorbed  all  the  offices,  from 
that  of  cabinet  minister  to  that  of  policeman,  and  the 
people  are  satisfied  that  it  should  be  so,  for  the  rule 
of  the  samurai  has  always  been  just. 

It  was  the  lesson  received  at  Kagoshima  and  Shi- 
monoseki  that  convinced  the  samurai  of  their  inferi- 
ority to  Americans  and  Europeans  in  warfare  and 
engines  of  war,  and  there  arose  among  them  a  great 
enthusiasm  to  master  such  knowledge  as  would  enable 
them,  in  turn,  to  vanquish  the  foreigners.  This  was  the 
motive  of  the  reforms,  and  the  same  motive  prompts 
every  measure  taken  by  the  government  to-day.  It 
explains  why  fads  have  been  discarded ;  why  the 
people,  after  trying  experiments  in  our  modes  of  dress, 
diet,  architecture,  etc.,  have  returned  to  their  old  cus- 
toms, retaining  only  such  features  of  western  civiliza- 
tion as  have  proved  themselves  useful  to  Japan. 

While  the  thread  of  historical  events  runs  through- 
out this  book,  many  incidents  and  characteristic  stories 
have  been  cited  to  illustrate  the  manners  and  customs 
of  the  various  periods.  As  the  book  is  designed  for 
children,  the  stories  are  clothed  in  simple  form  and 
language,  which  will,  it  is  hoped,  render  them  attrac- 
tive to  the  young  mind. 


CONTENTS 

PAGE 

JIMMU,  FIRST  EMPEROR  OF  JAPAN 9 

STORY  OF  YAMATO  DAKE 14 

PRINCE  BRAVEST'S  CONQUESTS      .                 ....  20 

FIRST  INVASION  OF  KOREA  .......  24 

BUDDHISM  BROUGHT  TO  JAPAN     ......  29 

THE  OLDEST  CLANS  OF  JAPAN 37 

MlNAMOTO  DEFEATS  TAIRA 41 

STORY  OF  "YOUNG  Ox" 47 

THE  LAST  OF  THE  MINAMOTO      ......  52 

AN  INDEPENDENT  TENNO 56 

CHRISTIANITY  IN  JAPAN        ...-• 63 

A  GREAT  GENERAL       .        /       .        :        .        .        .        .68 

THE  LORD  OF  THE  GOLDEN  WATER  GOURDS      ...  74 
SECOND  INVASION  OF  KOREA        .        .                .        .        -79 

THE  THREE  HOLLYHOCK  LEAVES 86 

THE  DUTCH  IN  JAPAN 95 

PERSECUTIONS  OF  THE  CHRISTIANS 104 

RESTRICTIONS  OF  THE  DUTCH 109 

7 


PAGE 

A  VISIT  TO  THE  REGENT     .        .  .        .        .        .118 

A  SHREWD  JUDGE         . 125 

TOSA'S  REVENGE 130 

A  WIFE'S  NOBLE  ACT 137 

THE  FORTY-SEVEN  RONIN     .        .        .        .        .        .        -143 

VARIOUS  ATTEMPTS  TO  TRADE  WITH  JAPAN         .        .        .168 

A  RUSSIAN  CAPTIVE 174 

ENGLISH  ATTEMPTS  TO  TRADE  WITH  JAPAN  .  .  .  181 
UNITED  STATES  SEEKS  TRADE  WITH  JAPAN  .  .  .  191 
How  PERRY  SECURED  A  TREATY  .  .  .  .  .196 
JAPAN  IN  PERRY'S  TIME  .  •  .  .  .  .  .  .  207 

JAPAN  OPENED ,     .        .214 

THE  TOKUGAWA  REGENTS  STEP  OUT    .         .'        ,.        .         .     230 
How  A  SAMURAI  COMMITTED  HARA-KIRI     .        .        .        .    235 

THE  TENNO  LEAVES  HIS  SECLUSION     .....     241 

SAIGO  TAKAMORI  .        .        .     ....        .        .        .        .        .     252 

JAPAN'S  PROGRESS         .        .        .        .        .  -     .        .        .    259 

WAR  WITH  CHINA          .        .     ..,...'''.        .     •   .        .        .    265 

MUTSUHITO,  EMPEROR  OF  JAPAN 280 

INDEX 285 


THE    STORY   OF   JAPAN 


HOW  JIMMU    WAS    MADE   THE    FIRST 
EMPEROR   OF   JAPAN 

» 

LONG,  long  ago,  only  a  short  time  after  the  heavens 
had  been  separated  from  the  earth,  the  sun  god- 
dess looked  down  and  saw  that  wicked  people  did  much 
as  they  pleased.  Now  she  was  one  of  those  women  who 
liked  to  have  order  everywhere.  So  she  made  her  son 
Ninigi  (nee-nee-gee)  a  human  being,  sent  him  down  to 
found  a  new  race,  and  ordered  him  to  see  that  his  chil- 
dren and  children's  children  should  rule  justly  over  the 
land  she  gave  them,  —  and  that  land  was  Japan. 

Before  Ninigi  went  down  to  the  earth,  his  mother  gave 
him  three  presents.  The  first  was  a  mirror,  which  was  an 
emblem  of  her  own  soul ;  the  second  was  a  sword  made  by 
the  gods  themselves,  so  sharp  that  it  could  cut  through 
almost  anything  ;  and  the  third  was  a  fine  ball  of  crystal. 

So  Ninigi  came  down  and  began  his  work.  Of 
course,  he  had  a  good  deal  of  trouble  with  his  neigh- 
bors, who  had  not  invited  him  and  did  not  want  him. 
But  he  knew  that  his  mother  was  a  goddess,  and  that 
therefore  he  had  a  right  to  rule  over  them.  So  whether 
they  liked  it  or  not,  he  made  himself  king  and  punished 
them  severely  when  they  did  not  mind  him. 
9 


After  he  had  restored  order,  he  married  and  settled 
down.  He  had  several  children,  the  oldest  of  whom 
was  named  Prince  Light-the-Fire,  and  the  youngest 
Prince  Put-the-Fire-Out.  Light-the-Fire  was  very  fond 
of  fishing,  and  his  youngest  brother  became  a  great 
hunter.  But  one  day  Prince  Light-the-Fire  thought  he 
would  like  to  go  hunting ;  so  he  asked  his  brother  to 
give  him  his  bow  and  arrow,  and  promised  in  return  to 
lend  him  his  hook  and  line.  Prince  Put-the-Fire-Out 
agreed  to  this  and  went  fishing,  but  unluckily  he  broke 
the  line  and  lost  the  hook.  He  did  not  think  it  a  serious 
mishap,  and  when  he  reached  home,  told  his  brother 
that  he  would  give  him  a  thousand  fishhooks  for  the 
one  he  had  lost.  But  Prince  Light-the-Fire  was  very 
angry,  and  scolded  so  much  that  Prince  Put-the-Fire- 
Out  went  to  the  seashore  to  escape  his  brother's  wrath, 
and  at  the  same  time  to  think  of  what  he  should  do. 

He  was  sitting  on  the  beach,  when  he  heard  foot- 
steps behind  him,  and,  turning  round,  saw  a  little 
weazen-faced  old  fellow,  who  asked  him  what  he  was 
doing  there.  Put-the-Fire-Out  at  once  thought  this 
must  be  some  god  who  might  give  him  good  advice, 
so  he  told  him  what  had  happened.  The  old  fellow, 
who  was  indeed  one  of  the  gods,  took  a  fancy  to 
the  young  prince.  He  told  him  that  the  best  thing  to 
do  was  to  go  to  the  sea  god's  palace,  and  gave  him 
directions  to  enable  him  to  find  his  way.  "You  will 
know  the  palace  when  you  see  it,"  said  he,  "  for  it  is 
built  of  fish  scales ;  in  front  of  the  gate  is  a  well,  and 
near  the  well,  a  cassia  tree.  When  you  get  there,  you 
must  climb  the  tree,  and  wait  to  see  what  happens." 


II 

"  Anything  is  better  than  to  go  back  to  my  brother 
without  his  hook,"  thought  Prince  Put-the-Fire-Out ;  so 
he  built  a  boat,  and  sailed  to  the  Under-the-Ground- 
Far-Away  country,  where  the  sea  god  lived.  At  last 
he  saw  the  palace,  and  after  hiding  his  boat,  climbed 
the  tree.  He  had  not  been  there  very  long  when  a 
princess,  daughter  of  the  sea  god,  came  to  the  well 
with  a  pitcher.  She  may  have  seen  Prince  Put-the- 
Fire-Out  while  he  was  climbing,  or  she  may  have  ex- 
pected him.  At  any  rate,  she  was  not  at  all  frightened, 
but  offered  him  a  drink  of  water.  While  she  was  draw- 
ing it,  he  took  a  jewel  from  his  necklace  and  hid  it  in  his 
mouth.  She  handed  him  the  water  and  while  he  pre- 
tended to  drink,  he  dropped  the  jewel  into  the  pitcher. 
The  princess  saw  it,  and  was  so  pleased  that  she  invited 
him  to  come  into  the  palace. 

She  was  pretty,  and,  of  course,  the  prince  married 
her.  For  three  years  he  lived  happily,  and  not  even 
once  did  he  think  of  his  brother.  But  one  day,  quite 
suddenly,  he  remembered  the  lost  fishhook,  and  thought 
of  his  brother's  anger,  and  without  knowing  it,  he 
sighed  deeply.  His  friends,  noticing  his  grief,  ques- 
tioned him  as  to  the  cause,  and  thereupon  he  told  his 
tale.  When  he  had  finished,  the  old  sea  god  ordered 
all  the  fish  to  appear,  and  soon  the  hook  was  found  in 
the  throat  of  one  of  them,  whence  it  was  extracted  with 
some  difficulty. 

Prince  Put-the-Fire-Out  now  wanted  to  go  home  on  a 
visit  and  take  the  hook  to  his  brother.  His  wife  and 
his  father-in-law  had  no  objection,  and  the  latter  gave 
him  as  a  farewell  gift  two  jewels,  telling  him  that  if  he 


12 

drew  out  the  first  the  water  would  rise  higher  and  higher 
until  he  put  it  away ;  and  if  he  held  out  the  other,  the 
water  would  run  out  until  the  sea  itself  was  dry.  With 
these  two  jewels,  and  a  great  many  kind  wishes  from  the 
people  of  the  sea  god,  the  prince  returned  to  his  home. 

Prince  Light-the-Fire  was  not  at  all  pleased  when  he 
saw  Put-the-Fire-Out  return,  and  did  not  seem  to  care 
even  for  the  old  fishhook.  To  rid  himself  of  his 
brother,  he  tried  to  kill  him ;  but  Prince  Put-the-Fire- 
Out  showed  the  flood  jewel,  and  the  water  rose  until 
Light-the-Fire  was  in  danger  of  being  drowned.  Then 
he  said  he  was  very  sorry  that  he  had  treated  his 
younger  brother  so  badly.  "  Call  off  the  water."  he 
cried,  "  and  I  will  induce  our  father  to  make  you  his 
heir." 

Prince  Put-the-Fire-Out  agreed  to  this.  He  showed 
the  other  jewel  until  the  water  had  gone  down  to  the 
proper  level,  and  his  brother  was  saved. 

So  Prince  Put-the-Fire-Out  succeeded  Ninigi.  He 
reigned  five  hundred  years,  and  his  son  was  the  father 
of  Jimmu,  the  first  emperor  of  Japan. 

Now,  although  this  story  sounds  like  a  fairy  tale,  most 
Japanese  children  and  even  many  grown  people  believe 
it  to  be  true.  This  is  why  they  call  their  country 
Nippon  (nee-pon),  which  means  Sunrise  Land,  and  their 
emperor  Tenno  (ten-noh),  that  is,  Heaven  Child,  or 
Tenshi  Sama  (ten-shee  sah-mah),  which  means  Lord 
Heaven.  And  in  many  of  their  churches  or  temples 
they  have  a  mirror,  a  sword,  and  a  crystal  ball,  to 
remind  them  of  the  presents  given  by  the  sun  goddess 
to  the  ancestor  of  the  Tenno.  They  look  upon  their 


13 

emperor  as  a  god,  and  a  Japanese  would  be  punished 
quite  severely  if  he  should  pass  before  a  mirror  in  a 
temple,  and  not  bow  low  before  it.  If  you  should  go  to 
Japan,  you  would  not  be  expected  to  do  this ;  but  you 
would  have  to  be  careful  not  to  talk  lightly  of  the 
Japanese  beliefs,  for  these  people  are  very  proud  of 
having  an  emperor  who  is  descended  from  the  sun 
goddess. 


THE    STORY    OF    YAMATO    DAKE 

EMPEROR  JIMMU  (jim-moo)  had  been  dead  a  long 
time,  and  ten  other  Tennos  had  also  been  buried, 
when  the  Bravest  of  Warriors  was  born.  He  was  the 
son  of  the  twelfth  Tenno,  and  was  very  handsome. 
Besides  this,  he  was  brave  and  quick-witted,  so  that  his 
father  had  great  confidence  in  him.  When  still  a  young 
man,  he  was  ordered  by  the  emperor  to  go  to  the  island 
of  Kiushiu  (kyoo-shoo)  to  punish  some  people  who  had 
raised  a  rebellion.  Before  he  went  on  board  the  ship 
that  was  to  carry  him  across,  his  aunt,  who  was  a 
priestess  and  very  fond  of  her  handsome  nephew,  gave 
him  a  queer-looking  package,  and  told  him  not  to  open 
it  until  he  was  close  to  the  rebel  camp. 

The  young  prince  set  sail,  and  arrived  safe  and  sound 
in  Kiushiu.  He  lost  no  time  in  starting  for  the  place 
where  the  rebels  were  said  to  have  their  camp.  He  did 
not  take  many  armed  men  with  him ;  for  he  intended 
to  pick  a  quarrel  with  the  rebel  chief  and  kill  him.  He 
knew  that  the  rebels  would  submit  as  soon  as  their  leader 
was  slain.  When  he  reached  the  mountains  where  they 
had  their  camp,  he  saw  that  it  would  be  almost  impos- 
sible to  attack  them,  so  strong  was  their  position,  and  he 
did  not  know  what  to  do. 

W 


15 

As  he  was  thinking  about  it,  making  many  plans, 
which  he  rejected  on  account  of  the  risk  their  fulfillment 
would  involve,  his  eye  fell  upon  his  aunt's  mysterious 
package.  "  Surely,"  he  thought,  "  I  am  now  close 
enough  to  the  rebel  camp  to  open  it.  Perhaps  this  gift 
will  help  me."  So  he  carefully  untied  the  package,  and 
found  therein  a  girl's  dress. 

At  first  the  prince  did  not  know  what  to  make  of  it, 
and  perhaps  he  thought  that  his  aunt  had  chosen  an  odd 
time  to  play  a  joke  on  him.  But  after  a  while  he  was 
struck  with  an  idea,  and  the  more  he  considered  it,  the 
better  he  liked  it.  So  he  laughed  out  heartily,  and  then, 
stretching  himself  under  a  tree,  fell  asleep. 

The  next  morning  he  called  his  trusty  followers,  and 
informed  them  that  he  would  be  absent  for  a  few  days ; 
he  told  them  what  to  do  and  where  to  hide,  that  they 
might  be  within  call,  and  march  upon  the  camp  at  a 
given  signal.  When  he  was  satisfied  that  his  orders 
were  fully  understood,  he  plunged  into  the  forest,  carry- 
ing his  sword  and  the  girl's  dress  provided  by  his  aunt. 
As  soon  as  he  was  alone,  he  put  on  the  dress,  and  hid 
his  own  clothes.  When  he  looked  into  a  brook,  he  saw 
a  handsome  girl,  instead  of  the  young  warrior  who  had 
entered  the  glade.  He  chuckled  as  he  saw  himself  so 
transformed,  and,  hiding  his  sword  under  his  clothes 
assumed  a  girlish  gait  and  walked  slowly  in  the  direc- 
tion of  the  rebel  camp. 

The  first  day  he  did  not  meet  anybody ;  and  he  was 
rather  glad,  for  it  gave  him  time  to  practice  a  girl's 
ways  and  manners.  The  next  morning,  however,  he 
met  some  men ;  and  from  the  respect  paid  to  one  of 


i6 


them,  he  knew  that  he  must  be  the  rebel  chief.  The 
young  prince's  heart  began  to  beat  fast ;  and  had  his 
enemy  been  alone,  he  would  have  slain  him  at  once. 
The  chief  came  smilingly  to  meet  the  pretty  girl  and 
asked  who  she  was  and  where  she  lived,  but  for 
answer  he  received  only  blushes  and  smiles.  Never- 
theless the  chief  was  well  pleased  when,  after  much 


Early  Japanese  arms 

coaxing,   the   girl  accepted    an    invitation    to  attend    a 
banquet  to  be  given  the  next  day  in  his  cave. 

The  next  day,  the  prince  again  put  on  the  girl's 
dress,  and  he  made  up  his  mind  that  the  time  had 
come  to  kill  the  chief,  and  so  put  an  end  to  the  re- 
bellion. As  he  went  on,  thinking  how  he  might  lead 
to  a  quarrel,  he  did  not  forget  to  assume  the  shy  airs 
of  a  girl.  When  the  chief  saw  him  coming  through  the 
forest,  he  went  to  meet  his  guest,  and  leading  him  into 


17 

the  cave,  invited  him  to  sit  beside  him.  When  the  ban- 
quet was  at  its  height,  the  men  grew  quarrelsome  and 
at  last  came  to  blows.  This  was  what  the  prince  had 
hoped  for,  and  when  the  rebel  chief  arose  to  restore 
order,  the  prince  drew  his  sword,  and  with  one  blow 
severed  the  chief's  head  from  his  body.  In  the  con- 
fusion that  followed,  he  gained  the  entrance  to  the 
cave,  and  gave  the  signal  to  his  band.  In  a  few 
moments  the  cave  was  surrounded  and  the  rebels  were 
captured.  The  men  outside  the  cave,  deprived  of  their 
leader,  laid  down  their  arms,  and  the  rebellion  was  at 
an  end. 

For  this  daring  deed  the  prince  was  named  Yamato 
Dake  (yah-mah-toh  dah-kay),  or  the  Bravest  of  the 
Brave.  We  shall  call  him  Bravest,  which  is  shorter 
and  means  almost  the  same  thing.  For  this  prince  had 
several  other  adventures  which  must  be  told  here. 

After  his  return  home,  his  father,  the  emperor,  who 
was  now  a  very  old  man,  —  a  hundred  and  twenty 
years  old,  the  Japanese  books  tell  us,  —  was  very  much 
vexed  because  the  people  living  to  the  east  of  his 
dominions  would  not  become  subject  to  him.  So  he 
asked  Prince  Bravest  to  take  an  army  and  conquer 
them.  The  prince  gladly  obeyed,  and  as  the  warriors 
all  loved  and  trusted  him,  he  had  no  difficulty  in  rais- 
ing troops.  Before  taking  leave  of  his  father,  he  went 
to  bid  good-by  to  his  aunt.  She  made  him  a  present  of 
a  wonderful  sword  called  Cloud  Cluster,  because  it  had 
been  taken  in  the  clouds,  from  the  tail  of  an  eight- 
headed  dragon  that  had  been  killed  by  one  of  the 
prince's  many  divine  ancestors.  Besides  this,  she  gave 

STO.  OF  JAPAN  —  2 


iS 


him  a  small  bag,  and  told  him  not  to  open  it  except 
when  in  extreme  danger.  Prince  Bravest  thanked  her, 
and  after  taking  a  respectful  leave  of  his  aged  father, 
placed  himself  at  the  head  of  his  army  and  marched 


Fuji  Yama 

away.      His  wife  had  begged  him  so  hard  to  let  her 
go  with  him  that  at  the  last  moment  he  consented. 

You  have  all  heard  or  read  in   your   geography    of 
beautiful    Fuji  Yama  (foo-jee  yah-mah)  or  Fuji  Moun- 


19 

tain,  a  high  extinct  volcano,  standing  out  snow-clad 
against  the  deep  blue  sky.  The  Japanese  delight  in 
painting  it,  and  on  many  a  picture  brought  from  that 
far-away  land  you  will  see  a  mountain  resembling  white 
old  Fuji.  It  was  in  the  plain  at  the  foot  of  this  moun- 
tain that  the  enemy  had  made  a  stand.  Their  spies 
had  told  them  of  the  march  of  the  Bravest,  and  as  they 
preferred  remaining  independent  even  to  being  gov- 
erned by  an  emperor  whose  ancestor  was  a  goddess, 
there  was  nothing  to  do  but  to  fight  for  it. 

Prince  Bravest  went  into  camp,  happy  in  the  pros- 
pect of  a  battle,  although  the  enemy  greatly  outnum- 
bered his  army.  In  the  morning  he  was  awakened  by 
the  smell  of  smoke,  and  when  daylight  appeared  he 
saw  that  the  enemy  had  set  fire  to  the  long  grass  and 
bush  of  the  plain.  The  situation  of  his  army  was  now 
one  of  grave  peril,  and  he  thought  of  his  aunt's  bag. 

When  he  opened  it,  he  found  a  flint  and  steel.  This 
gave  him  an  idea.  Seizing  his  sword,  he  began  to  mow 
down  the  grass  and  bushes  around  the  camp  —  an  ex- 
ample that  was  speedily  followed  by  his  warriors.  As 
soon  as  a  sufficient  space  had  been  cleared,  he  made 
a  counter  fire,  so  that  his  army  escaped  without  the 
loss  of  a  man.  When  the  fire  was  burnt  out,  and  the 
smoke  had  cleared  away,  the  enemy  expected  to  find 
the  burnt  corpses  of  their  invaders.  But  when  they 
saw  that  the  army  of  the  Bravest  had  remained  un- 
scathed, they  ascribed  this  miracle  to  the  intervention 
of  the  divine  ancestors,  and  hastened  to  make  peace 
by  submitting  to  the  emperor. 


PRINCE   BRAVEST'S   CONQUESTS 

THERE  are  a  great  many  Americans  who  visit 
Japan,  for  it  is  a  beautiful  country.  Many  of 
them  land  in  Yokohama  (yoh-koh-hah-mah),  because 
that  city  is  nearest  to  the  Pacific  coast.  All  the  land 
around  is  a  great  plain,  with  here  and  there  a  hill.  But 
if  one  goes  by  railroad  toward  the  west,  a  few  hours' 
ride  will  bring  one  to  Odawara  (oh-dah-wah-rah),  at  the 
foot  of  the  Hakone  (hah-koh-nay)  range.  In  the  sum- 
mer, when  it  is  very  hot  in  the  plain,  most  of  the  for- 
eigners in  Japan,  and  a  great  many  Japanese  as  well, 
go  to  one  of  the  many  resorts  in  these  mountains,  where 
the  scenery  is  so  lovely  that  every  one  who  has  been 
there  longs  to  go  again.  On  the  top  of  the  mountains 
is  a  fine  lake  named  Hakone.  It  is  quite  large,  and 
is  supposed  to  be  the  crater  of  one  of  the  extinct  vol- 
canoes, of  which  there  are  a  great  many  in  Japan. 

Prince  Bravest  led  his  army  over  the  Hakone  Moun- 
tains, and  entered  the  great  plain  at  its  eastern  base. 
As  he  marched  on,  he  came  to  a  broad  river  empty- 
ing into  the  ocean  close  by ;  but  now  the  god  of  the 
sea  raised  such  a  tempest  that  it  was  impossible  to 
cross.  Prince  Bravest  at  first  thought  it  was  an  ordi- 
nary storm ;  but  when  several  days  passed  and  the 


21 

tempest  did  not  abate,  he  suspected  that  it  had  been 
sent  by  one  of  the  gods.  He  therefore  ordered  the 
priests  to  find  out  the  cause  of  this  unlucky  weather, 
and  they  very  soon  told  him  that  it  was  sent  by  the  sea 
god,  who  thought  himself  abused  by  the  army  of  the 
Bravest ;  and  that  his  wrath  could  be  appeased  only  by 
some  person  volunteering  to  drown  himself. 

Here  was  a  difficulty.  There  was  not  a  warrior  in 
the  prince's  army  who  would  not  gladly  have  risked  his 
life  in  battle,  even  with  a  most  powerful  enemy ;  and 
every  man  was  ready  to  die  by  his  own  sword,  if  such 
a  sacrifice  should  be  necessary.  But  to  die  by  drown- 
ing is  so  inglorious  that  the  warriors  looked  at  each 
other  in  silence,  but  not  one  volunteered. 

While  the  army  was  waiting  and  the  prince  was 
considering  how  he  might  overcome  this  unexpected 
difficulty,  his  wife  could  not  help  noticing  that  he  was 
worried,  and  she  soon  found  out  the  cause.  She  loved 
her  husband  and  her  country  so  dearly  that  she  quickly 
decided  to  sacrifice  herself.  Quietly  she  set  about  mak- 
ing her  preparations,  and  when  she  had  arranged  all  her 
affairs,  she  went  to  the  river,  leaped  in,  and  was  drowned. 

The  prince,  deeply  shocked  at  his  wife's  heroic  death, 
did  not  notice  the  waters  subsiding  as  a  sign  that  the 
sea  god's  wrath  had  been  appeased ;  and  he  remained 
on  the  bank  of  the  river,  bewailing  her  loss.  After 
seven  days  the  comb  which  she  had  been  wearing  in 
her  hair  was  washed  ashore.  By  this  time  the  prince 
was  firmly  convinced  of  his  wife's  death,  and  he  gave 
orders  to  break  up  the  camp.  He  kept  the  comb  as 
a  precious  relic  of  his  wife's  love  and  devotion. 


22 

Prince  Bravest  crossed  the  river  that  had  caused  him 
so  much  wretchedness,  and  tried  to  forget  his  loss  by 
pursuing  the  conquest  with  more  zeal  than  ever.  Some- 
times one  god  would  help  him  and  speed  him  on  his 
way,  and  at  other  times  he  would  be  worried  and  op- 
posed by  another.  But  he  succeeded  in  his  work, 
although  it  was  'three  years  before  the  eastern  people 
would  recognize  the  emperor  as  their  master.  When 


he  turned  homeward,  he  took  a  road  more  to  the  north 
than  the  one  by  which  he  had  come.  His  army,  on  the 
march,  reached  a  point  from  which  they  could  see  the 
unlucky  river,  and  even  the  place  where  the  prince  had 
lost  his  wife.  When  the  prince  looked  upon  this  spot, 
he  said  with  a  deep  sigh,  "Adzuma!"  (ad-zoo-mah), 
which  means,  "  My  wife !  "  And  so  even  to  this  day, 
Japanese  poets  speak  of  eastern  Japan  as  Adzuma. 


23 

Some  time  ago,  the  Japanese  government  bought  a 
man-of-war,  the  Stonewall,  from  the  United  States. 
When  this  vessel  arrived  in  Japan,  its  name  was 
changed  to  Adzuma. 

Prince  Bravest  returned  home,  but  he  did  not  live 
long.  He  was  changed,  we  are  told,  into  a  great  white 
bird  and  flew  to  heaven. 

This  is  the  story  as  it  is  told  in  Japanese  books,  and 
thus  the  children  learn  it  as  part  of  the  history  of  their 
country.  The  truth  is  that  in  the  beginning  the  em- 
peror reigned  over  only  a  small  part  of  Japan.  He 
conquered  Kiushiu  and  a  part  of  the  center  of  Hondo. 
Afterwards  he  extended  these  conquests  until  the  south 
of  Hondo  belonged  to  him.  Yamato  was  the  name  first 
given  to  Japan.  It  will  be  well  to  remember  this,  for 
when  I  am  telling  you  of  the  famous  men  of  to-day,  you 
will  hear  much  of  the  Spirit  of  Old  Japan,  and  the  dar- 
ing deeds  it  has  inspired. 


THE   FIRST   INVASION   OF    KOREA 

THE  most  famous  empress  of  Japan  was  named 
Jingu  (jin-goo).  In  her  reign  the  Japanese  were 
so  strong  that  they  began  to  look  for  other  countries  to 
conquer,  and  Empress  Jingu  thought  Korea  (koh-ree-ah) 
would  be  the  easiest  to  take. 

If  you  look  on  the  map,  you  will  see  to  the  west  of 
Japan,  and  not  far  distant  from  the  island  of  Kiushiu, 
a  peninsula.  On  our  maps  it  is  called  Korea,  but  the 
people  who  live  in  it  have  named  it  "  Land  of  the  Morn- 
ing Calm."  This  name  is  wholly  undeserved  ;  for  Korea 
is  seldom  at  peace,  being  always  disturbed  by  warfare 
either  at  home  or  with  some  neighbor.  It  is  a  rich 
country,  because  the  soil  is  fertile  and  produces  heavy 
crops  of  rice,  millet,  etc.  Besides  this,  the  rivers  con- 
tain much  gold  and  the  mountains  are  full  of  minerals. 
But  the  people  are  wretchedly  poor,  because  the  officers 
rob  them  of  all  they  have. 

For  a  very  long  time  this  people  refused  to  have 
anything  to  do  with  us.  They  fired  on  our  ships  when 
near  their  coast,  and  it  was  not  until  1882  that  they 
consented  to  make  a  treaty  with  us.  Since  that  time 
Americans  have  been  allowed  to  live  in  Korea.  Now, 
you  might  think  from  this  that  the  Koreans  are  a  brave 
24 


25 

people,  but  they  are  not.  They  do  not  like  to  fight, 
and  besides  they  are  very  lazy.  It  is  not  often  that 
you  see  them  at  work.  They  smoke  long  pipes,  and 
lounge  all  day  in  the  streets  or  on  the  roads,  dressed  in 
long  white  cotton  garments,  and  stiff  hats  made  of  horse- 
hair. They  manage  to  get  just  enough  to  live  on,  and 
that  is  all  they  care  for,  because  they  know  that  if 
they  save  anything,  their  officers  will  come  and  take 


War  junks 

it  from  them.  But  it  was  not  always  thus.  At  the 
time  that  Empress  Jingu  thought  of  invading  their 
country,  the  Koreans  were  great  workers  in  wood  and 
metals,  and  made  many  fine  objects.  They  first  taught 
the  Japanese,  but  that  people  improved,  while  the 
Koreans  have  forgotten  all  they  ever  knew. 

After  Empress  Jingu  had  determined  upon  war  with 
Korea,  she  did  not  lose  any  time  in  making  her  prepa- 


26 

rations.  War  junks  were  built,  and  a  great  army  was 
raised.  The  soldiers  were  told  to  meet  at  the  west 
coast  of  the  island  of  Kiushiu,  where  they  were  to  go 
on  board.  The  empress  herself  was  to  take  the  com- 
mand, and  she  had  no  doubt  that  she  would  be  able 
to  seize  Korea. 

She  stood,  you  must  know,  in  great  favor  with  the 
Dragon  King,  who  lived  in  the  World  Under  the  Sea, 
and  she  was  confident  that  this  powerful  sea  god  would 
help  her.  To  be  sure,  there  might  be  some  of  the  sea 
gods  who  would  be  favorable  to  the  Koreans,  but  then 
the  Dragon  King  was  the  most  powerful,  and  he  would 
know  how  to  discover  and  set  at  naught  any  tricks 
these  lesser  gods  might  be  inclined  to  play. 

And  she  was  not  mistaken.  Before  she  embarked, 
the  Dragon  King  presented  her  with  two  crystal  balls, 
having  exactly  the  same  power  as  the  jewels  which 
Prince  Put-the-Fire-Out  had  received  from  his  father- 
in-law.  If  she  threw  one  of  them  into  the  sea,  the 
water  would  rise  to  a  great  height,  and  if  she  cast  the 
other  one  in,  the  water  would  flow  out  again  until 
the  bed  of  the  sea  appeared.  You  may  think  that 
these  would  be  rather  dangerous  toys  to  play  with ; 
but  Empress  Jingu  knew  how  to  handle  them,  as  you 
will  hear. 

The  fleet  set  sail,  and  had  hardly  lost  sight  of  the 
land  when  a  tempest  arose,  and  the  waves  became 
threatening.  This  was,  of  course,  caused  by  some  sea 
god  who  favored  the  Koreans.  But  if  Jingu's  friend, 
the  Dragon  King,  could  not  prevent  such  a  mishap,  he 
could  at  least  see  to  it  that  no  harm  was  done.  So 


27 

he  quietly  ordered  some  large  fish,  such  as  sharks,  por- 
poises, etc.,  to  harness  themselves  to  Jingu's  vessels, 
and  tow  them  to  Korea.  It  was  no  wonder,  therefore, 
that,  storm  or  no  storm,  the  Japanese  fleet  arrived  safe 
near  the  coast  of  Korea. 

The  king  of  Korea  had  heard  all  about  Jingu  and 
her  preparations,  and  was  ready  to  meet  her.  He  had 
drawn  up  his  army  on  the  beach,  and  was  watching 
to  see  whether  the  Japanese  would  try  to  effect  a  land- 
ing. But  Jingu  knew  what  she  was  about.  After  her 
ships  had  been  securely  anchored,  she  gave  the  neces- 
sary orders,  and  warned  her  warriors  not  to  be  surprised 
at  anything  that  might  happen.  When  everything  was 
ready,  she  dropped  one  of  the  crystal  balls  into  the  sea, 
and  the  water  began  to  run  out,  until  the  ships  stuck 
fast  in  the  mud. 

When  the  king  of  Korea  saw  this,  he  thought  that  he 
had  the  Japanese  at  his  mercy.  He  gave  orders  to  his 
army  to  charge,  and  they  made  straight  for  the  enemy's 
vessels.  When  they  were  at  some  distance  from  the 
shore,  Jingu  dropped  the  other  ball,  and  the  water  began 
to  rush  back.  The  Koreans  had  no  time  to  reach  either 
the  dry  land  or  the  vessels,  and  their  king  saw  his  army 
drowned  before  his  eyes,  and  his  country  at  the  mercy  of 
his  enemy.  What  could  he  do  but  submit  ?  Empress 
Jingu  led  her  army  in  triumph  to  his  capital,  and  the  king 
was  compelled  to  make  peace  on  her  terms.  They  were 
that  the  king  must  hand  over  to  Japan  eighty  vessels 
loaded  with  gold,  silver,  and  other  valuables,  and  give 
hostages  that  he  would  pay  her  a  tribute  every  year. 

Some  people  think  that  there  is  about  as  much  truth 


28 

in  the  story  of  Empress  Jingu  and  her  invasion  of 
Korea,  as  in  that  of  the  sun  goddess  and  her  son.  But 
there  is  one  fact  that  is  worth  knowing,  and  that  is  that 
there  is  an  extraordinary  ebb  and  flood  upon  the  Korean 
coast ;  in  some  places  the  water  rises  to  a  height  of 
thirty-two  feet,  while  at  low  tide,  the  ocean  bed  is  dry 
for  more  than  a  mile  from  the  shore. 

The  Japanese  claimed  for  a  long  time  that  this  con- 
quest gave  them  a  right  upon  the  peninsula.  And  you 
will  read  later  how  this  claim  led  to  many  a  serious 
rebellion,  and  finally  to  the  war  with  China. 


BUDDHISM    BROUGHT  TO   JAPAN 


'The  first  Japanese  coins 


THE  Japanese  must  believe  that  their  emperor  is 
a  god.  They  are  allowed  to  believe  anything 
else  besides  this,  and  neither  the  emperor  nor  the 
government  cares,  so  long  as  they  remain  faithful  in 
that  one  point.  When,  therefore,  missionaries  from 
other  countries  come, 
they  are  allowed  to 
preach  whatever  they 
please,  but  if  any  one 
should  dare  express  a 
doubt  about  the  em- 
peror's being  a  god, 
the  punishment  would  be  swift  and  sure. 

In  the  seventh  century  such  missionaries  came  from 
Korea,  and  taught  the  Japanese  how  to  work  in  metal 
and  in  wood,  to  make  porcelain,  and  to  raise  silkworms 
and  make  silk.  The  Japanese  were  very  glad  to  learn 
all  this,  for  they  are  an  industrious  people,  and  always 
glad  to  be  taught  anything  that  may  benefit  them.  But 
some  of  these  missionaries  also  preached  a  new  religion, 
and  told  them  that  Buddha  (boo-dah)  was  the  greatest  of 
all  gods.  Some  of  the  Japanese  liked  this  new  religion, 
and  became  Buddhists,  that  is,  believers  in  Buddha. 
29 


30 

This  did  not  at  all  interfere  with  their  belief  in  the 
emperor.  The  missionaries  had  brought  with  them 
images  of  Buddha,  and  they  wanted  temples  in  which 
to  place  them.  So  one  nobleman  gave  them  his  house 
and  they  made  a  temple  of  it.  But  it  happened  that 
just  then  a  pestilence  swept  over  the  country,  and  it 
was  rumored  that  the  emperor's  ancestors,  who  had  all 


Temple  in  Tokyo 

become  gods,  were  angry  at  having  a  rival.  So  the 
people  burned  this  new  temple  and  flung  the  image 
of  Buddha  into  the  sea.  But  after  that  another  pesti- 
lence broke  out;  and  besides  this,  there  was  a  severe 
earthquake,  and  a  flood  which  drowned  a  great  many 
people  along  the  coast.  This  frightened  the  people,  for 
they  imagined  that  Buddha  was  angry.  So  they  built  a 
new  temple,  and  afterwards  a  great  many  more. 


Until  the  missionaries  came,  the  Japanese  did  not 
know  how  to  read  and  write.  The  Koreans  had  learned 
these  arts  from  the  Chinese,  and  they  now  taught  them 
to  the  people  of  Japan.  Chinese  writing  is  very  difficult 
to  learn ;  for  instead  of  having  letters  from  which  all 
words  can  be  formed,  the  Chinese  have  a  character 
for  each  separate  word.  But  the  Japanese  are  hard 
students  and  learn  quickly,  so  they  not  only  mastered 
the  Chinese  way  of  writing,  but  later  went  one  step 
farther ;  they  modified  the  signs  and  made  them  stand 
for  sounds,  and  now  they  have,  in  addition  to  their 
characters  representing  words,  a  syllabary  or  table  of 
forty-seven  signs  for  syllables.  Books  were  brought 
over  from  Korea,  and  very  soon  the  Japanese  began  to 
write  the  history  of  their  country,  a  part  of  which  I 
have  told  you. 

All  this  made  great  changes  in  Japan.  Up  to  this 
time,  every  able-bodied  man  had  been  a  warrior  when- 
ever war  broke  out.  But  now  only  the  strongest  were 
taken,  and  the  old  and  weak  were  left  to  till  the  rice 
fields  or  to  engage  in  other  business.  The  warriors 
were  the  most  powerful  of  all  the  people.  Next  in  rank 
came  the  farmers,  then  the  mechanics,  and  last  of  all, 
the  merchants  or  traders. 

But  the  greatest  change  was  in  the  court  of  the 
emperor.  There  had  been  no  war  for  some  time,  and 
the  emperors  having  little  to  do,  passed  their  time  in 
reading  the  books  brought  over  from  Korea.  That 
they  might  not  be  disturbed,  they  appointed  ministers 
to  attend  to  the  collection  of  the  taxes,  to  see  that  the 
people  kept  at  their  work,  to  protect  the  weak,  and  to 


32 

punish  offenders.  So,  after  some  time,  these  ministers 
grew  accustomed  to  have  all  the  power,  and  when  a 
new  emperor  ascended  the  throne  who  showed  signs 
that  he  wanted  to  reign,  himself,  his  ministers  quickly 
had  his  head  shaved ;  that  is,  they  made  a  Buddhist 
priest  of  him,  shut  him  up  in  a  convent  or  cloister,  and 


Buddhist  priests 

put  his  son,  if  he  had  any,  or   else   some    nephew   or 
cousin,  on  the  throne. 

The  people  did  not  know  anything  of  what  was 
going  on  in  the  big  palace  where  the  emperor  lived. 
They  were  taught  and  believed  firmly  that  he  was  a 
god,  and  his  ministers  took  good  care  that  he  was  never 
seen  outside  the  walls  around  the  palace  grounds.  If 
he  ever  did  go  out,  he  was  placed  in  a  sort  of  cage 
fastened  to  a  bullock  cart,  and  hidden  from  view  by 


33 

bamboo  curtains.  The  houses  of  each  street  through 
which  he  passed  were  ordered  to  be  closed,  and  the 
windows  covered  with  shutters ;  and  those  who  hap- 


Emperor  Kwammu 

pened  to  be  in  such  a  street  were  compelled  to  kneel 
down,  their  hands  flat  on  the  ground  before  them,  and 
their  heads  bent  low  upon  the  hands.  Most  of  the 
emperors  from  that  time  on  were  mere  babies,  who,  as 

STO.  OF  JAPAN  —  3 


34 

soon  as  they  were  old  enough  to  show  a  will  of  their  own, 
were  quickly  and  quietly  placed  in  a  convent.  But  you 
will  see,  as  we  proceed,  that  the  men  who  were  in  power 
did  not  use  their  authority  to  oppress  the  people  and 
make  themselves  rich.  They  thought  what  they  did 
was  best  for  Japan,  and  they  did  not  care  for  wealth. 

The  first  real  capital  was  at  Nara  (nah-rah).  If  ever 
you  visit  Japan,  you  must  not  fail  to  make  an  excursion 
to  this  place,  which  is  within  a  short  distance  of  Kyoto 
(kee-yoh-toh)  and  Osaka  (oh-sah-kah).  It  is  situated  in 
the  south-central  part  of  the  island  of  Hondo,  in  a  most 
beautiful  spot,  on  the  edge  of  a  fertile  plain  surrounded 
by  mountains.  You  may  still  see  the  long  avenues  of 
old  trees,  and  some  of  the  grand  temples,  once  so  plen- 
tiful, but  now  so  few  that  the  Japanese  call  them  "ruins 
among  the  rice  fields."  Those  that  are  left  have  finely 
colored  paintings  and  images  of  gilded  bronze  ;  and 
near  one  of  them  is  a  huge  statue  of  Buddha,  also  made 
of  bronze.  At  eventide  you  will  hear  a  loud  and  melo- 
dious booming.  It  is  from  the  great  bell,  struck  at  that 
time,  and  on  calm  days  it  can  be  heard  at  a  distance  of 
twenty  miles. 

From  Nara  the  capital  was  transferred  to  Kyoto,  also 
in  a  most  beautiful  location.  All  foreigners  coming  to 
Japan  are  certain  to  visit  that  old  city,  which  remained 
the  capital  until  1868.  There  they  find  not  only  a  great 
number  of  temples,  but  streets  with  stores,  where  the 
finest  products  of  Japanese  art  are  for  sale.  There  are 
dainty  silks,  beautifully  carved  metals,  porcelain,  —  so 
thin  that  it  is  almost  transparent,  —  and  articles  in 
lacquer  ware,  for  which  these  people  are  famous  all 


35 

over  the  world.  And  with  all  this,  it  is  such  a  queer 
city  !  There  are  houses  nestling  on  crags  against  the 
mountain  side.  And  if  you  go  at  night  near  the  dry 


The  emperor's  court 

bed  of  the  river,  you  may  witness  a  scene  that  seems 
as  if  taken  from  the  Arabian  Nights,  —  thousands  of 
booths,  each  lit  up  with,  the  many-colored  paper  lan- 
terns, a  countless  number  of  which  seem  to  be  flitting 


36 

to  and  fro.  These  lanterns  are  carried  by  people  who 
go  in  and  out  of  the  booths,  where  they  seem  to  be 
having  a  perpetual  picnic.  For  the  Japanese,  when 
they  go  out  after  dark,  always  carry  a  lighted  lantern, 
to  prevent  accidents. 

But  now,  as  the  court  is  established  in  quaint   old 
Kyoto,  I  must  tell  you  of  the  clans  of  Japan. 


THE   OLDEST   CLANS    OF   JAPAN 

IF  an  emperor  had  more  than  one  son,  the  younger 
sons  would,  if  they  married  and  had  children,  be- 
come the  founders  of  noble  houses.  Thus,  in  the 
course  of  time,  a  nobility  was  formed,  the  members  of 
which  were,  or  claimed  to  be,  descendants  of  a  former 
Tenno.  And  just  as  the  nobles  of  Europe  had  a  family 
coat  of  arms,  so  did  the  nobles  of  Japan  adopt  some 
flower  or  animal  by  which  the  members  of  their  family 
or  clan  could  be  known. 

The  three  principal  clans  at  this  time  were  the  Fuji- 
wara  (foo-jee-wah-rah),  whose  emblem  was  the  blue 
wistaria,  the  Minamoto  (mee-nah-moh-toh)  with  the 
white  gentian  as  emblem,  and  the  Taira  (tl-rah),  whose 
coat  of  arms  was  a  red  butterfly.  The  head  of  each 
clan  was  usually  called  by  the  clan  name.  At  first  the 
Fujiwara  clan  held  the  power  behind  the  throne  and  the 
head  of  this  house  was  the  man  who  for  a  long  time 
selected  the  emperor  or  made  him  retire  to  a  cloister, 
according  to  his  docility  in  obeying  the  orders  of  the 
Fujiwara.  All  the  offices  among  the  people  were  occu- 
pied by  members  of  this  clan;  that  is,  all  the  civil 
offices,  for  the  army  was  in  command  of  two  other 
clans.  The  Minamoto  clan  were  intrusted  with  the  sub- 
37 


38 

duing  of  the  independent  tribes  in  the  northern  part  of 
Hondo,  and,  after  many  years  of  fighting,  succeeded. 
The  Taira  were  engaged  in  destroying  the  pirates  who 
infested  the  Inland  Sea;  that  is,  the  sea  between  Hondo, 
Shikoku  (shee-kohk),  and  Kiushiu. 

But  after  the  pirates  had  disappeared  and  the  whole 
of  the  island  of  Hondo  had  been  brought  under  the 
rule  of  the  Tenno,  the  Minamoto  and  Taira  returned  to 


An  army  crossing  a  ford 

the  capital,  and  when  they  saw  the  influence  and  power 
of  the  Fujiwara,  they  became  very  jealous.  Yet,  so 
great  was  the  respect  for  the  dignity  of  the  Tenno,  that 
neither  of  the  two  great  military  clans,  powerful  and 
strong  as  they  were,  ventured  to  oppose  the  ruling  clan. 
But  in  the  twelfth  century  something  happened  that 
gave  the  Taira  an  opportunity  to  interfere,  and  swords 
flew  out  of  their  scabbards,  and  blood  flowed,  while  the 


39 

country  was  first  made  acquainted  with  the  horrors  of  a 
civil  war. 

The  emperor  was  dead.  He  had  been  a  puppet  in 
the  hands  of  the  Fujiwara,  but  on  his  deathbed  he  left 
the  throne  to  his  elder  brother,  instead  of  to  his  baby 
son.  This  did  not  suit  the  ruling  clan  at  all,  and  they 
called  upon  the  Minamoto  to  aid  them  in  placing  the 


An  army  crossing  a  mountain 

baby  emperor  upon  the  throne.  But  the  brother  of 
the  late  emperor  insisted  upon  his  rights,  and  asked  the 
Taira  to  help  him.  The  head  of  this  clan,  a  very  able 
and  ambitious  man,  was  but  too  anxious  to  secure  the 
influence  held  by  the  Fujiwara  by  placing  an  emperor 
upon  the  throne.  So  a  great  battle  was  fought  in 
Kyoto  in  which  the  Fujiwara  and  the  Minamoto  were 


40 

defeated,  and  the  Taira  secured  the  throne  for  the  right- 
ful heir. 

But  as  soon  as  they  had  succeeded  in  doing  this,  they 
locked  the  emperor  up  as  tightly  as  the  Fujiwara  had 
done  before ;  and  when  the  Tenno,  who  seems  to  have 
been  really  an  able  man,  protested  against  this  treat- 
ment, Taira  had  his  head  shaved,  and  sent  him  off  to  a 
cloister,  after  which  he  placed  an  eighteen-year-old  boy 
upon  the  throne. 

Now,  some  of  the  members  of  the  Minamoto  clan 
had  helped  the  Taira,  because  they  were  jealous  of  the 
power  of  the  Fujiwara.  But  when  Taira  was  in  power, 
he  acted  with  such  cruelty  against  the  Minamoto  that 
the  members  of  the  two  defeated  clans  entered  into  a 
conspiracy  against  him.  Taira,  however,  was  wide 
awake.  Long  before  all  the  plans  of  the  conspirators 
were  completed,  the  members  of  the  Minamoto  were 
attacked  in  the  streets  of  Kyoto.  No  mercy  was 
asked  or  given,  and  again  blood  flowed  freely.  Indeed, 
so  well  did  Taira  do  his  work,  that  he  destroyed  almost 
the  entire  clan  of  the  Minamoto.  The  head  of  that 
unfortunate  clan  escaped  for  a  short  time,  but  was  dis- 
covered by  one  of  the  Taira,  and  murdered. 

The  new  regent  —  for  such  he  was  in  reality,  because 
the  emperor  was  not  consulted  in  any  act  pertaining  to 
the  government — now  discharged  nearly  all  the  officers 
of  the  Fujiwara,  and  filled  their  places  with  members 
of  his  own  clan.  The  people  were  not  consulted,  and 
did  not  care  much.  For  even  at  that  time,  while  every 
clan  liked  to  be  in  power,  its  members  never  sought 
office  for  gain  but  did  their  work  honestly  and  well. 


MINAMOTO    DEFEATS   TAIRA 

TAIRA  was  established  in  Kyoto,  and  thought  him- 
self pretty  safe,  —  not  wholly  so,  though,  for  two 
young  sons  of  Minamoto  had  escaped,  and  so  had  one  of 
his  wives.     He  suspected,  naturally,  that  the  two  chil- 


The  hall  in  a  Japanese  palace 

dren  would  be  with  her,  and  to  get  them  in  his  power 
he  had  the  widow's  mother  arrested,  and  made  it  known 
far  and  near  that  she  would  be  put  to  death  unless  her 
daughter  came  back  and  surrendered  herself. 
41 


42 

Now  you  must  know  that  in  Japan  the  highest  and 
first  duty  of  children  is  toward  their  parents.  There 
are  a  great  many  instances  of  children  who  have  sold 
themselves  into  slavery  to  save  their  parents  from  want. 
Indeed,  the  same  thing  happens  often  enough  in  these 
days,  and  the  law  allows  it.  The  Japanese  applaud 
these  examples  of  filial  piety.  We,  too,  are  taught  the 
commandment,  "Honor  thy  father  and  thy  mother"; 
but  we  consider  that  other  duties  are  as  important,  as, 
for  instance,  the  duty  of  a  father  or  a  mother  toward  a 
child,  or  of  a  husband  toward  his  wife.  These  are  as 
nothing  in  Japan  compared  to  the  child's  duty  toward 
a  parent. 

When  the  poor  young  widow  heard  of  the  arrest  of 
her  mother,  she  did  not  hesitate.  One  of  the  boys, 
Yoritomo,  the  head  of  the  Minamoto,  had  been  separated 
from  her  in  the  flight,  and  for  all  she  knew  he  might 
have  been  captured  or  killed.  In  that  event  her  son, 
Yoshitsune  (yoh-shee-tsoo-nay)  would  become  heir  to 
the  Minamoto,  and  with  him  that  famous  family  would 
die  out.  She  could  not  expect  mercy  from  a  man  who 
had  shown  so  much  cruelty ;  still  she  did  not  hesitate, 
but  retraced  her  steps,  and  surrendered  herself  and 
her  son  to  the  Taira. 

In  the  meanwhile  Yoritomo  had  wandered  among  the 
fugitives  and  pursuers.  He  was  brought  before  a  cap- 
tain of  the  victors,  and  the  latter  soon  discovered  who 
his  young  prisoner  was.  The  capture  was  important, 
and  the  captain  returned  to  Kyoto  with  his  prisoner. 
Taira  was  about  to  give  orders  to  put  him  to  death, 
when  his  mother  interfered,  and  asked  him  to  spare  the 


43 

child's  life.  Her  request  was  granted,  and  Yoritomo 
was  given  to  his  captor,  who  took  him  to  his  home  in 
the  southern  part  of  Japan. 

When  Minamoto's  widow  was  led  before  the  victor, 
he  was  struck  both  with  her  beauty  and  her  filial  con- 
duct, and  when,  with  tears  in  her  eyes,  she  begged  for 
the  life  of  her  child,  he  did  not  find  it  in  his  heart  to 
refuse  her.  So  he  ordered  the  little  boy  to  be  taken 
to  a  convent,  where,  when  he  was  old  enough,  his  head 
was  to  be  shaved  and  he  was  to  be  made  a  priest. 

Yoritomo  grew  up  in  the  family  of  his  captor,  and 
became  skillful  in  the  exercises  of  the  privileged  class. 
He  thought  frequently  of  the  misfortunes  of  his  clan, 
and  was  forever  planning  schemes  of  revenge.  His 
foster  father  had  two  daughters,  and  the  more  beautiful 
of  the  two  he  had  promised  to  the  son  of  a  friend. 
Yoritomo  and  this  girl  fell  in  love  with  each  other,  and 
they  decided  to  elope.  As  the  girl  was  her  father's 
favorite,  she  had  no  doubt  that  she  would  be  forgiven. 
She  was  not  mistaken ;  for  not  only  were  the  young 
couple  kindly  received  when  they  returned,  but  the 
bride  induced  her  father,  Hojo  (hoh-joh),  to  assist 
Yoritomo  in  his  schemes. 

What  had  become  in  the  meanwhile  of  Yoritomo's 
half-brother,  Yoshitsune,  who  had  been  placed  in  the 
convent?  As  he  grew  up,  the  priests  gave  him  the 
nickname  of  "Young  Ox,"  on  account  of  his  great 
strength.  They  had  a  hard  time  with  him,  for  he  did 
not  mind  them  in  the  least.  Although  they  could  not 
keep  him  in  check,  and  he  was  continually  playing 
tricks  upon  them,  they  did  not  dare  bring  a  complaint 


44 

before  the  regent.  But  when,  at  last,  he  made  his 
escape  in  the  company  of  a  peddler,  they  were  so  glad 
to  be  rid  of  him  that  they  did  not  try  very  hard  to  get 
him  back. 

Young  Ox  made  his  way  to  the  northern  part  of  the 
island  of  Hondo,  where  he  was  taken  into  the  service  of 
the  governor,  one  of  the  few  Fujiwara  men  who  had 
been  kept  in  office.  He  grew  up  to  be  as  brave  as 
he  was  strong,  and  he,  too,  remembered  the  unhappy 
fate  of  his  clan,  and  tried  to  communicate  with  all  those 
who  had  been  fortunate  enough  to  escape  the  slaughter. 

Yoritomo  himself  was  impatient  to  avenge  his  wrongs. 
After  he  had  collected  a  small  band,  he  made  for  the 
Hakone  Mountains,  not  far  from  the  place  where  Prince 
Bravest  had  lost  his  wife.  But  his  plans  had  become 
known,  and  he  was  attacked  and  defeated  by  a  strong 
force  of  the  Taira.  He  sought  safety  in  flight,  hotly 
pursued  by  his  enemies.  When  night  fell,  he  found 
shelter  in  a  hollow  tree.  He  had  been  there  but  a 
short  time,  when  a  band  of  the  pursuers  approached, 
and  scattered  to  search  the  wood.  One  of  them  came 
near  his  tree,  but  seeing  a  wood  pigeon  fly  from  her 
nest,  concluded  that  no  one  could  be  there  because  the 
bird  had  not  been  disturbed. 

When  morning  came,  no  enemy  was  to  be  seen, 
and  Yoritomo  continued  his  flight.  After  walking  all 
day,  he  saw,  just  as  it  was  getting  dark,  a  little  house. 
On  entering,  he  found  it  tenanted  by  a  priest,  who 
scanned  him  closely,  and  gave  him  to  understand  that 
he  suspected  who  he  was.  Upon  this,  Yoritomo  took 
the  priest  into  his  confidence,  and  it  was  well  that 


45 

he  did  so,  for  his  host  insisted  upon  his  hiding  in  an 
obscure  closet.  During  the  night  they  were  awakened 
by  threatening  voices,  and  when  the  priest  opened  the 
door,  several  Taira  warriors  inquired  whether  any  stran- 
gers were  in  the  house.  The  priest  invited  them  to 
search  for  themselves,  but  after  taking  a  cursory  glance 
over  the  poor  apartments,  they  continued  their  march. 

The  next  morning,  after  thanking  his  preserver,  Yori- 
tomo  made  his  way  to  a  small  peninsula,  where  he 
continued  his  plotting,  and  soon  succeeded  in  collecting 
another  band.  Again  he  made  for  the  Hakone  Moun- 
tains, and  once  more  he  was  defeated.  But  now  the 
fame  of  his  exploits  had  spread  over  the  land,  and  when 
he  withdrew  again  to  the  peninsula,  large  numbers  of 
his  own  clan,  who  had  kept  in  hiding,  flocked  to  his 
standard,  as  well  as  many  of  the  Fujiwara. 

Among  the  first  to  come  was  Young  Ox,  who  led  a 
strong  force  of  able-bodied  warriors  whom  he  had  col- 
lected in  the  north.  The  brothers  were  glad  to  see 
each  other,  though  they  did  not  show  their  feelings 
openly,  since  it  is  against  the  custom  of  the  country  to 
evince  emotion.  A  cousin  also  brought  a  number  of 
men,  and  Yoritomo  now  thought  that  he  was  strong 
enough  to  take  the  field.  He  divided  his  army  into 
three  parts.  The  van  was  placed  in  command  of  his 
cousin,  and  was  stationed  in  the  mountains  between 
Kamakura  (kah-mah'-koo-rah)  and  Kyoto ;  the  center 
under  Young  Ox  held  Kamakura,  while  Yoritomo  him- 
self commanded  the  rear,  and  continued  to  enlist  fresh 
arrivals. 

Before  proceeding,  I  must  tell  you  something  about 


46 

Kamakura.  It  is  only  a  short  distance  from  Yokohama 
and  can  be  reached  by  railroad.  It  is  a  lovely  valley 
inclosed  by  mountains,  but  opening  upon  the  sea.  It 
contains  several  large  Buddhist  temples,  and  an  im- 
mense bronze  statue  of  Buddha  which  the  Japanese 
call  Dai  Butsu  (dl-boots),  or  Great  Buddha. 

All  this  time  Taira  was  gathering  his  clan  to  crush 
his  opponent.  He  reproached  himself  bitterly  for 
having  spared  the  two  boys,  and  finally  fell  sick. 
He  grew  worse  and  worse,  and  when  he  was  convinced 
that  he  was  dying,  he  called  his  son  and  said,  "  Do  not 
waste  any  time  on  funeral  ceremonies,  or  offer  any 
sacrifices  to  me ;  but  cut  off  the  head  of  Yoritomo  and 
put  it  on  my  tomb." 

As  soon  as  Yoritomo's  cousin  heard  of  the  death  of 
the  regent,  he  set  out  for  the  capital,  without  waiting 
for  instructions.  The  Taira  troops  were  superior  in 
number,  but  they  had  not  yet  recovered  from  the  con- 
fusion incident  upon  the  death  of  their  leader ;  and  when 
they  were  attacked  under  the  walls  of  the  city  by  the 
van  of  Yoritomo's  army,  the  regent's  troops  wavered. 
Perceiving  this,  the  assailants  redoubled  their  efforts. 
It  was  as  if  every  single  warrior  fancied  himself  the 
avenger  of  the  wrongs  suffered  by  his  clan  for  so  many 
years,  and  at  last  the  regent's  forces  were  routed.  The 
capital  was  taken,  and  Taira  fled,  taking  with  him  the 
young  emperor  and  his  mother.  Yoritomo's  cousin, 
however,  found  a  seven-year-old  brother  of  the  emperor 
in  the  palace.  He  proclaimed  this  child  emperor  and 
appointed  himself  as  regent,  intending  to  secure  the 
chieftainship  of  the  Minamoto  clan. 


THE   STORY   OF    "YOUNG   OX" 

WHEN  the  young  lord  of  the  clan  heard  of  the 
events  that  had  taken  place  in  the  capital,  he 
left  the  peninsula  and  marched  upon  Kamakura.  Here 
he  found  Young  Ox  with  the  center  of  his  army,  and 
ordered  him  to  go  at  once  to  Kyoto  to  punish  their 
treacherous  cousin.  The  latter  was  informed  by  spies 
of  the  approach  of  this  army,  and  he  led  his  victorious 
troops  to  a  little  village  south  of  Kyoto  on  the  Yodo 
(yoh-doh)  River,  and  there  awaited  the  attack.  He  had 
not  long  to  wait.  His  troops,  recognizing  the  wrong  of 
their  leader's  cause,  fought  in  a  half-hearted  way,  and 
he  was  defeated.  While  he  was  trying  to  effect  his 
escape,  his  horse  floundered  in  the  mud  of  a  rice  field, 
and  he  was  shot  in  the  forehead  with  an  arrow. 

Young  Ox  now  turned  his  attention  to  the  Taira, 
who  had  escaped  from  the  capital.  The  young  lord 
of  that  clan  had  taken  refuge  in  a  castle  near  Kobe 
(koh-bay),  but  Young  Ox  took  it  by  assault,  and  it 
was  with  difficulty  that  Taira  escaped  and  hurried 
to  another  castle  of  his  clan,  which  was  also  taken. 
The  fugitive,  accompanied  by  the  empress  and  the  boy 
emperor,  now  decided  upon  seeking  a  shelter  in  the 
island  of  Kiushiu.  With  the  remnant  of  his  clan  he 
47 


48 

embarked  in  as  many  ships  as  he  could  collect,  and  set 
sail. 

But  Young  Ox  was  not  to   be  balked   of  his  prey. 


An  army  on  the  march 

He  incited  his  followers  to  the  greatest  efforts,  and  in 
a  short  time  succeeded  in  assembling  enough  vessels  to 
embark  his  army  and  set  off  in  pursuit.  In  the  straits 
at  the  west  entrance  to  the  Inland  Sea,  the  fugitives 


49 


v' 


were  overtaken.     A  naval  battle  was  fought  in  which 
the  troops  of  Taira  fought  with  the  courage  of  despair, 
Hnt^in  no  avail.     Young  Ox  remained  victor.     A  few 
effected  their  escape  sought  refuge 
astnesses  of  the  island  of   Kiushiu. 
to  surrender,  jumped  into  the 
d  both  were  drowned, 
es    of    his    half-brother, 
kura.     You  would  natu- 
lord  would  welcome  the 
nd  his  clan  such  important 
bay  be  that  Yoritomo  was 
Krmight  have  ambitious  plans, 
"r.   perhaps  he  was  jealous  of 
^Red  by  Young  Ox.      At  any 
BFs  army  approached  Kamakura, 
Bent  a  messenger  to  Young  Ox 
Htmp  beyond  the  city  walls,   and 
WK  trophies  and  spoils.     Young  Ox 
murmur,  and,  receiving  an  order  to 
]o)        arcw  with  his  army  to  Kyoto. 

if  a.  short  time  in  the  capital  when  his  com- 
mand wi^Taken  from  him,  and  he  noticed  that  he  could 
not  leave  the  house  without  being  followed  by  spies. 
He  began  to  fear  that  he  would  be  poisoned  or  stabbed 
if  he  remained  in  Kyoto,  so  he  moved  to  a  small 
country  place,  taking  care  not  to  arouse  suspicion.  He 
lived  by  himself  and  saw  no  one,  but  he  was  still 
watched  by  spies.  At  last  he  decided  to  return  to  the 
north  of  Japan  to  the  place  where  he  had  first  plotted 
against  Taira,  which  he  had  left  only  to  help  his 

STO.  OF  JAPAN  — 4 


48 

embarked  in  as  many  ships  as  he  could  collect,  and  set 
sail. 

But  Young  Ox  was  not  to  be  balked  of  his  prey. 


An  army  on  the  march 

He  incited  his  followers  to  the  greatest  efforts,  and  in 
a  short  time  succeeded  in  assembling  enough  vessels  to 
embark  his  army  and  set  off  in  pursuit.  In  the  straits 
at  the  west  entrance  to  the  Inland  Sea,  the  fugitives 


49 

were  overtaken.  A  naval  battle  was  fought  in  which 
the  troops  of  Taira  fought  with  the  courage  of  despair, 
but  to  no  avail.  Young  Ox  remained  victor.  A  few 
of  the  clan  who  effected  their  escape  sought  refuge 
in  the  mountain  fastnesses  of  the  island  of  Kiushiu. 
The  empress,  unwilling  to  surrender,  jumped  into  the 
sea  with  the  boy  emperor,  and  both  were  drowned. 

After  defeating  the  enemies  of  his  half-brother, 
Young  Ox  returned  to  Kamakura.  You  would  natu- 
rally suppose  that  the  young  lord  would  welcome  the 
hero  who  had  rendered  him  and  his  clan  such  important 
services;  but  not  so.  It  may  be  that  Yoritomo  was 
afraid  that  his  half-brother  might  have  ambitious  plans, 
such  as  his  cousin  had ;  or  perhaps  he  was  jealous  of 
the  glory  and  fame  gained  by  Young  Ox.  At  any 
rate,  when  the  victorious  army  approached  Kamakura, 
the  head  of  the  clan  sent  a  messenger  to  Young  Ox 
with  the  order  to  encamp  beyond  the  city  walls,  and 
there  to  deliver  up  the  trophies  and  spoils.  Young  Ox 
obeyed  without  a  murmur,  and,  receiving  an  order  to 
that  effect,  withdrew  with  his  army  to  Kyoto. 

He  was  but  a  short  time  in  the  capital  when  his  com- 
mand was  taken  from  him,  and  he  noticed  that  he  could 
not  leave  the  house  without  being  followed  by  spies. 
He  began  to  fear  that  he  would  be  poisoned  or  stabbed 
if  he  remained  in  Kyoto,  so  he  moved  to  a  small 
country  place,  taking  care  not  to  arouse  suspicion.  He 
lived  by  himself  and  saw  no  one,  but  he  was  still 
watched  by  spies.  At  last  he  decided  to  return  to  the 
north  of  Japan  to  the  place  where  he  had  first  plotted 
against  Taira,  which  he  had  left  only  to  help  his 

STO.  OF  JAPAN  —  4 


brother.  Here  he  would  not  be  suspected,  and  he 
was  satisfied  to  withdraw  from  public  life,  since  he  had 
avenged  the  wrongs  of  his  clan.  So  Young  Ox  left 
for  the  north  without  meeting  with  any  adventures, 
and  arrived  at  his  old  refuge.  But  the  old  governor 
was  dead,  and  his  place  was  held  by  his  son,  who,  to 
court  favor  with  the  new  regent,  had  the  young  hero 
assassinated. 


A  Buddhist  ceremony 

If  the  cowardly  murderer  had  expected  a  reward,  he 
was  much  disappointed,  for  he  was  tried  and  executed 
by  order  of  Minamoto.  But  this  did  not  prevent 
tongues  from  wagging ;  and  it  was  rumored  that  the 
new  regent  was  not  entirely  innocent  of  his  brother's 
murder. 

Yoritomo  was  now  regent.  He  had  entered  Kyoto 
in  triumph,  and  had  received  the  title  and  rank  from 


the  baby  emperor  whom  his  cousin  had  placed  on 
the  throne.  The  regent,  however,  declined  to  reside 
in  the  capital.  He  left  a  trusty  officer  to  watch  over 
the  emperor;  that  is,  to  prevent  any  other  clan  from  ob- 
taining control  over  his  person.  After  he  had  secured 
a  deed  by  which  the  title  and  power  of  regent  should 
remain  in  his  family,  Yoritomo  set  about  restoring 
order,  the  country  having  been  much  disturbed  by  the 
civil  war. 

Buddhist  cloisters  and  convents  had  greatly  multi- 
plied, and  the  monks  did  not  like  to  see  the  emperor 
a  mere  puppet  in  the  hands  of  a  great  clan.  So  they 
made  as  much  difficulty  for  the  regent  as  they  could. 
But  after  Yoritomo  had  burned  a  few  of  their  cloisters, 
the  monks  saw  that  he  was  too  strong  for  them,  and 
they  submitted  to  his  laws. 

After  Yoritomo  had  punished  robbers,  and  made 
the  roads  safe  for  travelers  and  merchants,  he  began 
to  encourage  the  arts  and  industries.  It  was  during 
his  reign  that  the  Dai  Butsu,  the  great  bronze  statue 
of  Buddha,  was  cast.  The  Japanese  became  wonder- 
fully skillful  in  metal  working.  They  were  especially 
famous  for  the  temper  of  the  swords  they  made. 


THE    LAST    OF   THE    MINAMOTO 

YORITOMO  died  suddenly  from  the  effect  of  a  fall 
from   his   horse,   and  was   succeeded  by  his  son, 
who,  however,  was  not  yet  of  age.    His  mother's  father, 


Yoritomo 


Hojo,  was  appointed  as  his  guardian.     You  remember 

that  this  old  man  had  been  a  captain  in  the  Taira  clan, 

but  that  his  daughter  had  persuaded  him  to  help  Yori- 

52 


53 

tomo.  Hojo  had  remained  faithful  to  his  son-in-law,  of 
whom  he  was  somewhat  afraid.  But  now  that  the 
regent  was  dead,  the  captain  made  up  his  mind  to  be 
the  real  regent,  even  if  his  grandson  held  the  title. 

But  when  the  son  of  Yoritomo  grew  up  to  man's 
estate,  he  wanted  to  rule  as  his  father  had  done  before 
him,  and  would  not  be  satisfied  with  the  mere  honors 
and  rank  of  regent.  So  his  grandfather  quietly  ordered 
his  head  to  be  shaved,  and  sent  him  off  to  a  cloister, 
where  he  was  locked  up.  And  when  even  within  the 
walls  of  this  prison,  —  for  such  it  was,  —  he  continued  to 
protest  against  the  actions  of  his  grandfather,  he  was 
murdered  by  order  of  the  captain,  and  his  younger 
brother  was  made  regent. 

Now,  until  within  recent  years,  Japanese  boys  were 
wont  to  marry  very  young,  and  so  you  will  not  wonder 
that  the  poor  murdered  regent  had  left  a  son,  who 
brooded  over  the  violent  death  of  his  father.  When 
this  lad  was  old  enough  to  handle  a  sword,  he  attacked 
his  uncle,  the  new  regent,  and  killed  him.  Hereupon 
Hojo  condemned  him  to  death,  and  the  boy  was  exe- 
cuted. 

Yoritomo  had  no  other  sons,  and  you  might  think 
that  the  family  had  died  out.  But  you  would  be  mis- 
taken. In  Japan  it  is  the  custom  when  there  are  no 
male  heirs  in  a  family,  to  adopt  a  child,  who  takes  the 
name  of  his  foster  father  and  has  all  the  rights  and 
privileges  of  a  son.  Hence  there  was  no  difficulty  to 
provide  a  new  regent :  all  that  had  to  be  done  was  to 
adopt  a  baby,  and  the  widow  of  Yoritomo  wrote  to 
Kyoto  to  have  one  sent. 


54 

"But,"  you  will  ask,  "why  did  not  this  widow  interfere 
with  her  father  to  prevent  the  murder  of  her  oldest  son, 
and  the  execution  of  her  grandson  ?  "  If  you  have  not 
forgotten  what  I  have  said  of  the  filial  duties  of  a  Japa- 
nese, you  will  know  that  the  mother  was  in  duty  bound 
to  yield  blind  obedience  to  her  father.  His  will  was 
law,  and  it  would  have  violated  every  Japanese  prin- 
ciple if  she  had  dared  oppose  him  in  any  of  his  resolu- 
tions. 

Another  question  you  are  apt  to  ask  is  what  the 
faithful  Minamoto  clansmen  did  when  they  saw  the 
family  of  their  lord  ruthlessly  slaughtered  by  one  who 
belonged  to  their  foes,  the  Taira.  To  this  I  must 
answer  that  the  old  captain  was  sly  enough  to  keep 
the  death  of  a  regent  secret  until  he  had  another  one 
safe  and  sound  on  the  throne.  And  the  clansmen 
were  satisfied  as  long  as  they  knew  that  a  head  of  the 
Minamoto  was,  in  name  at  least,  the  regent.  They 
obeyed,  not  him,  but  the  orders  issued  over  his  name 
and  seal. 

The  loyalty  of  a  Japanese  is  intense ;  it  is  so  strong 
that  he  will  shrink  from  no  danger,  and  will  even  com- 
mit suicide  when  the  order  is  given  by  those  who  have 
lawful  authority.  But  until  the  revolution  of  1868  this 
loyalty  was  to  the  clan  as  a  political  body,  and  not  to 
the  head  of  the  clan  personally.  It  was  the  crest  or  seal 
that  was  revered  as  the  personification  of  the  clan,  and  if 
the  official  documents  containing  commands  bore  the  seal 
of  the  clan,  they  were  obeyed  without  hesitation,  who- 
ever might  be  the  temporary  head  that  issued  them. 

From  what  I  have  said  here,  you  will  understand  why 


55 

the  Taira  captain,  who  was  without  doubt  the  actual 
ruler  of  Japan,  did  not  dare  proclaim  himself  as  regent, 
and  why  he  and  his  descendants  continued  to  place  on 
the  regent's  throne  at  Kamakura  babies,  who  are  known 
in  Japanese  history  as  "  shadow  regents,"  because  they 
were  regents  only  in  name.  And  this  will  further  ex- 
plain how  the  Japanese  writers  of  history  of  this  day 
boast,  in  good  faith,  of  the  loyalty  of  the  people  for  the 
emperor  and  his  family,  while  at  the  same  time  they 
tell  the  story  much  as  I  have  told  it  to  you  thus  far. 
And  the  people  were  loyal,  according  to  their  idea ;  that 
is,  they  obeyed  cheerfully  any  order  given  under  the 
crest  and  seal  of  the  Tenno.  And  when  they  did  take 
up  arms  against  him,  it  was  with  no  disloyalty,  for  they 
announced  that  they  were  fighting  only  against  his  ad- 
visers; that  is,  against  the  men  who  used  his  crest  and 
seal  to  further  their  own  schemes.  The  story  of  Japan 
is  not  easy  to  understand;  but  if  you  can  remember 
what  I  have  said  above,  you  will  find  less  difficulty. 

You  will  see  now  that,  even  at  this  early  time,  the 
Tennd  had  no  real  power ;  that  the  country  was  ruled 
by  regents  from  Kamakura  as  the  capital ;  and  that 
the  man  who  could  make  and  depose  the  regents  was 
the  real  ruler  of  people,  regent,  and  emperor. 


AN    INDEPENDENT    TENNO 

AS  you  have  read  before,  Yoritomo's  father-in-law 
was  named  Hojo,  which  means  either  a  Buddhist 
priest  or  a  convent,  or  one  who  sets  free  a  live  animal 
that  has  been  caught.  For  you  must  know  that  the 
Buddhists  believe  that  the  souls  of  men  go  after  death 
into  the  bodies  of  animals.  That  is  why  faithful  believ- 
ers in  Buddha  will  not  eat  the  flesh  of  animals.  They 
say,  "  How  does  one  know  that  the  soul  of  his  father 
or  grandfather  may  not  have  been  in  the  body  of  the 
ox  that  is  killed  ?  " 

The  Hojo  family  ruled  over  Japan  one  hundred  and 
fourteen  years,  always  in  the  name  of  some  shadow 
regent.  But  although  they  had  no  right  to  rule  the 
country,  the  Hojo  were  good  and  just  to  the  people,  and 
helped  the  progress  of  arts  and  industries,  so  that 
Japan  grew  to  be  a  rich  country. 

It  was  during  the  Hojo  period  (i  199-1333)  that  the 
famous  Japanese  swords  were  first  made.  Before  this 
the  two-edged  blade  had  been  used,  which  was  but  a 
clumsy  weapon  to  strike  with ;  but  the  swords  made 
during  the  Hojo  period  would  cut  through  a  dollar  with- 
out leaving  a  flaw.  In  1877  there  was  a  dangerous 
rebellion  in  Japan.  The  government  troops  were  armed 
56 


57 

with  modern  rifles  and  balls,  and  many  of  the  rebels 
had  only  their  swords.  But  they  killed  so  many  of  the 
regular  troops  with  these  dangerous  weapons  that  the 
government  was  compelled  to  form  a  troop  of  expert 
swordsmen  to  cope  with  them. 

The  Hojo  also  kept  up  the  army.     The  soldiers  of 


Forging  a  sword 

Japan  had  now  become  a  distinct  caste,  that  is,  only 
certain  families  could  serve  in  war,  and  their  sons  were 
also  soldiers.  They  were  called  samurai  (sah-moo-rl), 
and  had  the  right  to  wear  two  swords.  The  long  two- 
handled  one  was  used  in  war.  The  other,  short  as  a 
dagger,  was  for  nothing  else  than  to  commit  suicide.  At 


58 

first  it  was  used  only  after  a  battle,  when  a  wounded 
soldier,  preferring  death  to  falling  into  the  hands  of 
the  enemy,  stabbed  himself  with  the  short  sword. 
But  soon  it  became  a  privilege  of  the  samurai  class 
to  commit  suicide  when  they  had  done  anything  for 
which  the  common  people  would  have  been  condemned 
to  death.  The  sons  of  samurai  were  taught  in  early 
youth  how  to  behave  themselves  and  what  to  do  if 
ever  the  time  should  come  when  they  would  have  to 
commit  hara-kiri  (hah-rah'-kee-ree  —  hara  is  the  Japa- 
nese word  for  stomach,  and  kiri  means  to  cut).  By 
this  kind  of  education,  they  grew  familiar  with  the  idea 
of  dying  at  any  time.  Soon  it  became  such  a  custom, 
that  when  a  clan  was  insulted,  and  for  some  reason 
could  not  take  revenge,  the  principal  samurai  would 
commit  hara-kiri  in  a  dignified  manner,  and  so  wipe 
out  the  stain  upon  the  crest  of  the  clan. 

The  Hojo  were  proud  of  their  country,  and  loved 
it,  as  every  Japanese  does.  They  ruled,  honestly  think- 
ing that  it  was  best  for  Japan  that  they  should  do 
so.  When  the  Chinese  emperor  sent  two  men  to  de- 
mand that  Japan  should  pay  tribute,  thereby  confess- 
ing that  the  emperor  of  China  was  really  their  master, 
the  reigning  Hojo  ordered  the  messengers'  heads  to  be 
cut  off,  as  an  answer  to  the  insolent  demand.  The 
Chinese  emperor  was  so  angry  at  this  that  he  gathered 
a  great  army  and  fleet  to  take  Japan,  but  he  was  badly 
defeated.  So  the  Hojo  do  not  deserve  the  dislike  with 
which  they  are  regarded  by  the  people,  who  call  a  bug 
that  destroys  the  young  rice  by  the  name  of  Hojo  bug. 

But  now  I  must  tell  you  how  the  Hojo  rule  came 


59 

to  an  end  through  the  efforts  of  an  emperor  who 
would  not  be  a  mere  puppet.  The  poor  babies  or 
boys  who  had  held  the  title  of  Tenno  had  been  much 
neglected,  and  when  one  of  them  died,  the  court  had 
not  sufficient  money  for  funeral  ceremonies,  so  that 
he  had  to  be  buried  by  charity.  At  last  the  Hojo, 
in  their  turn,  became  puppets,  and  Japan  was  ruled 
by  some  ex-regent,  who  had  retired  to  a  cloister;  and 


The  Chinese  invasion 

for  some  time  the  monks  were  the  ruling  power.  But 
although  they  held  an  unlawful  authority,  they  were 
inclined  to  restore  the  government  to  the  emperor. 

In  the  early  part  of  the  fourteenth  century,  the 
Tenno  died,  and  the  Hojo  placed  upon  the  throne  a 
prince,  named  Godaigo  (goh-di-goh),  from  whom  they 
expected  no  trouble.  He  seemed  to  care  for  nothing 
except  pleasure,  and  that  was  the  sort  of  man  they 


6o 

wanted.  But  this  prince  had  only  pretended  to  be  of 
such  disposition,  for  he  was  really  a  man  of  courage 
and  ability.  When  the  government  at  Kamakura  dis- 
covered this,  they  decided  that  he  must  abdicate,  and 
they  sent  an  army  to  the  capital.  The  emperor  not 


having  enough  troops  to  defend  Kyoto,  withdrew 
with  his  band  to  a  Buddhist  cloister  not  far 
from  Nara,  which  had  been  strongly  fortified.  But 
the  regent  was  determined  to  maintain  his  power.  His 
army  set  out  in  pursuit,  carried  the  cloister  by  assault, 
and  captured  the  emperor.  He  was  sent  into  exile,  and 
the  heads  of  his  advisers  were  cut  off,  and  carried  on 
poles  fastened  to  his  sedan  chair. 


6i 

But  this  emperor  was  a  man  of  strong  will,  and, 
while  in  exile,  he  sent  letters  to  one  of  his  sons,  who 
was  a  Buddhist  priest,  and  to  one  of  his  captains,  who 
had  escaped  with  a  small  body  of  faithful  troops. 
After  everything  was  prepared,  the  emperor  left  the 
island  to  which  he  had  been  banished,  escaping  in  a 
fishing  boat,  and  hiding  himself  under  a  heap  of  mus- 
sels. He  was  missed,  and  the  boat  was  pursued  and 
overtaken ;  but  the  mussel  heap  was  not  searched,  and 
the  emperor  reached  the  island  of  Hondo,  where  he 
was  joined  by  a  small  army.  With  this  he  marched  at 
once  upon  Kyoto,  and  as  the  Hojo  commander  was 
unprepared,  the  capital  was  captured. 

The  Hojo  now  sent  more  troops  against  him,  but 
their  leaders,  who  were  members  of  the  old  Minamoto 
clan,  went  over  to  the  emperor,  and  many  who  had 
been  kept  away,  through  fear  of  the  power  of  the 
Hojo,  now  joined  the  imperial  standard.  One  of  the 
Minamoto  leaders,  in  command  of  the  emperor's  army, 
advanced  upon  Kamakura.  The  Hojo  made  a  desper- 
ate defense.  The  outer  walls  were  carried  by  assault, 
but  every  ward  had  been  made  into  a  fortress,  and 
the  place  was  taken  only  after  a  furious  hand-to-hand 
fight.  When  the  Hojo  clan  were  utterly  defeated,  their 
leaders  took  their  own  lives  by  the  dreadful  hara-kiri, 
and  once  more  it  seemed  as  though  the  Tenno  would 
regain  his  power. 

But  it  was  not  to  be.  The  two  Minamoto  leaders 
who  had  betrayed  the  Hojo  regent,  began  to  quarrel, 
and  one  of  them  denounced  his  former  comrade  to  the 
emperor,  accusing  the  man  who  had  taken  Kamakura 


62 

of  designs  against  the  Tenno.  But  this  general  suc- 
ceeded in  proving  his  innocence,  whereupon  the  emperor 
commissioned  him  to  punish  his  traducer.  A  battle  was 
fought  between  the  two  former  comrades  in  arms,  in 
which  the  emperor's  troops  were  defeated,  and  the  poor 
Heaven  Child  was  again  compelled  to  flee  from  the 
capital.  Once  more  he  took  refuge  in  the  convent 
where  he  had  been  captured  by  the  Hojo  troops. 

And  now  the  victorious  leader,  whose  family  name 
was  Ashikaga  (ash-ee-kah-gah),  took  the  title  and  office 
of  regent.  He  did  not  pursue  the  emperor,  for  the 
generals  who  had  remained  loyal  gave  him  enough  to 
do.  First  the  regent  pursued  his  former  friend,  and 
attacked  him  with  a  very  strong  force  northwest  of 
Kyoto,  and  he  not  only  defeated  his  troops,  but  killed 
their  leader.  Then  Ashikaga  attacked  the  capital,  which 
was  taken  and  retaken  three  times.  Then  the  last  faith- 
ful band  retired  upon  Hiogo,  where  they -were  finally 
routed  and  their  leader  committed  the  inevitable  hara- 
kiri.  The  regent  now  appointed  a  puppet  emperor  in 
Kyoto,  and  left  the  other  Tenno  to  rule,  if  he  chose, 
over  the  monks  in  the  convent.  For  a  time  there  were 
two  Tennds  in  Japan.  But  after  a  while  the  real 
emperor  resigned  in  favor  of  the  puppet  emperor  at 
Kyoto,  who  had  after  all  no  more  power  than  his  rival. 


CHRISTIANITY   IN   JAPAN 

THE  history  of  Japan,  from  this  time,  becomes  very 
interesting.  It  is  known  among  the  Japanese  as 
the  period  of  the  Ashikaga  regents  (1338-1574).  These 
rulers  were  worse  than  any  the  country  had  ever  had. 
They  did  not  have  the  firm  hand  of  the  Hojo.  Mili- 
tary governors  were  appointed  over  the  provinces,  and 
most  of  them,  seeing  that  they  had  nothing  to  fear 
from  the  incapable  regents,  declared  themselves  inde- 
pendent. So  these  governors  became  chiefs,  their  sons 
succeeded  them,  and  the  former  province  became  their 
territory.  They  made  war  upon  each  other,  and  some- 
times, when  one  of  them  was  powerful  enough,  he 
would  set  up  an  opposition  regent. 

By  these  unhappy  conditions  the  people  suffered 
most.  Their  rice  fields  were  trampled  down  by  invading 
or  retreating  bands,  their  harvests,  if  they  had  any, 
were  destroyed,  and  their  homes  were  ruined.  Kyoto 
and  other  cities  were  taken  and  plundered  by  bands  of 
free  lances,  robbers  were  masters  on  the  highways,  and 
pirates  made  the  seas  and  rivers  unsafe. 

But  the  Buddhist  convents  grew  rich  and  powerful  as 
they  had  never  been  before,  for  a  great  many  of  the 
monks  knew  how  to  handle  sword  and  bow  and  arrow, 
63 


64 


and  turned  soldier  whenever  the  occasion  offered.  One 
of  them,  who  is  known  as  "the  Fighting  Abbot,"  took 
two  provinces ;  and  the  strong  castle  of  Osaka  —  one 
of  the  points  of  interest  in  Japan  at  the  present  day 
—  was  built  by  these  priests.  The  stones  of  most 
of  this  fortress  are  of  such  immense  size  that  one 
wonders  how  the  priests  succeeded  in  raising  them  one 
upon  the  other,  without  any  machinery.  It  is  quite  sure 


Buddhist  priests  on  the  war  path 

that  these  Buddhist  monks  would  at  last  have  become 
the  rulers  of  Japan,  had  they  not  taken  to  fighting 
among  themselves.  These  quarrelsome  habits  did  not 
at  all  increase  love  for  them  among  the  people,  while 
the  chieftains,  as  the  successors  of  the  military  gov- 
ernors must  now  be  called,  were  jealous  of  the  wealth, 
power,  and  influence  of  the  priesthood. 

This  time  —  for  we  have  now  reached  in  our  history 


65 

the  sixteenth  century  period  —  was  the  age  of  great 
discoveries.  Marco  Polo,  in  the  thirteenth  century,  had 
visited  China,  which  he  called  Cathay,  and  had  heard 
there  of  the  island  empire  to  the  northeast,  of  which 
he  wrote  under  the  name  of  Zipangu  (zee-pon-goo). 
In  1497,  Vasco  da  Gama  had  sailed  round  the  south- 
ern point  of  Africa,  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope,  and  had 
reached  India.  It  was  with  the  idea  of  finding  a  short 
route  to  Cathay,  or  China,  that  Columbus  had  sailed 
westward,  and  he  would  have  succeeded  had  not  the 
American  continent  been  in  his  way. 

The  Portuguese  sailors  of  those  days  were  very  enter- 
prising, and  no  sooner  had  they  discovered  one  country, 
than  they  set  out  to  find  another.  They  were  brave 
seamen,  for  the  ships  were  very  small.  Their  main 
object  was  to  get  rich  by  trading  with  the  newly  dis- 
covered countries,  but  they  also  wished  to  convert  the 
heathen  people  to  Christianity. 

After  the  Portuguese  had  come  to  China,  they  went 
to  seek  Japan.  Now  you  must  remember  that  the 
Japanese  in  the  sixteenth  century  were  a  very  civilized 
people  ;  they  had  a  regular  government,  tilled  the  ground 
or  lived  in  cities  and  villages,  and  knew  a  great  deal  of 
the  arts  and  industries.  Besides  this,  their  soldiers  were 
brave  and  loved  their  country,  even  if  they  did  fight 
among  themselves. 

But,  as  I  have  said,  the  power  acquired  by  the  Bud- 
dhist convents  had  caused  a  deep  feeling  of  hatred 
against  them,  both  among  the  daimio  (dl-mee-yoh),  as 
the  chieftains  were  called,  and  the  people ;  and  the  first 
Portuguese  priest  who  came  to  Japan  was  a  very  good 

STO.  OF  JAPAN  —  5 


66 

man,  who  is  known  in  history  as  St.  Francis  Xavier 
(zav'-i-er). 

His  first  landing  was  made  in  Kiushiu  in  1542,  and 
he  was  well  received  by  the  daimio.  To  his  astonish- 
ment, he  found  the  Japanese  in  possession  of  match- 
locks, as  the  guns  of  those  days  were  called.  He 
learned  afterwards  that  a  Portuguese  named  Mendez 
Pinto  (men-deth  peen-toh),  who  had  visited  Japan  a  short 
time  previously,  had  made  them  a  present  of  such  a  gun, 
and  the  Japanese,  who  are  remarkable  for  their  power 
of  imitation,  had  set  to  work  and  made  a  number  of 
these  arms. 

St.  Francis  Xavier  found  attentive  hearers  in  the 
Japanese  among  whom  he  preached ;  and  as  the  daimio 
did  nothing  to  oppose  his  efforts,  Christianity  very  soon 
began  to  spread  among  them.  After  some  time  this 
missionary  crossed  over  to  Hondo,  and  visited  the  capi- 
tal of  the  Tenno.  He  had  expected  to  find  a  rich  and 
flourishing  city,  but  the  troubled  times  had  left  an  im- 
print upon  Kyoto,  and  he  saw  nothing  more  than  an 
armed  camp. 

Several  of  the  daimio,  who  had  become  converted, 
sent  representatives  to  the  pope.  They  crossed  the 
Pacific  Ocean  in  a  Japanese  vessel,  and  landed  in 
Mexico ;  after  traveling  through  that  country,  they 
sailed  for  Spain,  and  from  there  reached  Italy.  There 
are  now  in  the  museum  in  Madrid  two  fine  specimens 
of  the  suits  of  armor  worn  by  Japanese  samurai  in  those 
days.  They  were  given  to  King  Philip  II.  by  this 
embassy.  A  few  years  ago  the  Japanese  ambassador 
found  in  Venice  a  stone  bearing  an  inscription  which 


67 

showed  that  this  same  Japanese  embassy  had  visited 
that  city. 

Several  Portuguese  missionaries  came  after  St.  Fran- 
cis Xavier,  and  they  succeeded,  after  many  years,  in 
making  quite  a  number  of  converts.  But  other  na- 
tions of  Europe  were  anxious  to  trade  with  Japan,  and 
among  these  were  the  Hollanders,  who  had  risen  in 
rebellion  against  Spain.  I  cannot  tell  you  here  about 
the  causes  that  led  to  this  or  of  the  events  that  followed. 
But  I  must  mention  that  the  Spaniards  conquered 
Portugal,  so  that  from  that  time  all  the  Portuguese  pos- 
sessions belonged  to  Spain,  and  their  ships  sailed  under 
the  Spanish  flag.  The  Hollanders  now  made  war  upon 
Portuguese  ships  and  colonies,  and  began  to  lay 
schemes  to  have  the  Portuguese  expelled  from  Japan. 
We  shall  hereafter  see  how  they  succeeded. 

The  Ashikaga  rule  had  been  very  bad  for  Japan,  and 
one  of  these  weak  regents  submitted  to  a  demand 
from  the  emperor  of  China,  and  paid  tribute.  Japanese 
boys  and  men  feel  very  badly  when  they  read  this  part 
of  their  history.  Their  books  say  that  this  money  was 
given  to  pay  for  damages  done  by  Japanese  pirates, 
who  skimmed  over  the  western  coast  of  the  Pacific 
Ocean,  and  attacked  not  only  cities  in  China,  but  went 
as  far  south  as  Siam.  The  fact  is  that  the  money  was 
paid,  and  that  these  regents  were  justly  blamed  for  the 
disgrace  brought  upon  their  country.  But  now  I  must 
tell  you  how  these  rulers  were  driven  out,  and  a  new 
line  took  charge  of  the  government. 


A   GREAT    GENERAL 

A  POOR  priest  in  one  of  the  villages  of  Japan  had  a 
son  named  Nobunaga  (noh-boo-nah'-gah).  This 
priest  claimed  that  his  ancestor  was  the  great  Taira 
who  had  ruled  over  Japan ;  he  said  that  when  the  Taira 
were  hunted  down  by  the  Minamoto,  the  widow  of  one 
of  Taira's  sons  fled  with  her  little  boy  to  a  small  vil- 
lage, whose  mayor  afterwards  married  her.  After  some 
time  it  happened  that  a  priest,  passing  through  the  vil- 
lage, saw  the  boy  and  took  a  fancy  to  him.  He  went 
to  see  the  mother  and  father,  and  obtained  their  con- 
sent to  take  the  boy  with  him.  He  promised  that  he 
would  give  him  a  good  education  and  make  a  priest  of 
him.  This  man  kept  his  word.  The  boy  grew  up  to 
be  a  priest  and  married,  and  became  the  ancestor  of 
Nobunaga  and  his  father. 

The  boy,  Nobunaga,  was  a  great  fighter,  and  was 
shrewd  besides.  He  did  not  like  the  way  the  country 
was  governed,  and  although  his  father  himself  was  a 
priest,  the  son  disliked  the  convents  and  looked  "with 
disfavor  on  the  power  and  wealth  which  they  had  ac- 
quired. He  enlisted  as  a  warrior  when  but  a  boy,  and 
was  so  brave  and  skillful  in  war  that  he  was  still  young 
when  he  had  taken  a  province  and  made  himself  a 
68 


69 

daimio,  or  lord.  But  he  was  not  yet  satisfied.  He 
continued  making  war  upon  his  neighbors  until  he  had 
captured  three  other  provinces,  one  of  which  was  near 
the  old  capital  Kyoto.  And  now  something  happened 
that  gave  him  the  opportunity  to  enter  the  capital  with 
his  army. 

The  Ashikaga  regent  was  murdered  in  the  year  1574. 
This,  in  itself,  was  not  very  remarkable,  for  it  happened 
often  enough  in  those  days,  and  really  the  country  did 
not  suffer  any  loss ;  but  it  was  a  murder,  and  our  friend 
Nobunaga  said  that  murder  was  a  crime,  and  must  be 
punished.  He  declared  also  that  the  late  regent's 
brother  had  the  right  to  succeed  him,  and  that  he,  No- 
bunaga, would  see  justice  done.  He  was  as  good  as  his 
word.  He  entered  the  capital  and  appointed  the  regent, 
but  he  made  himself  vice  regent,  which  means  that 
he  did  the  governing  and  that  the  other  was  only  a 
puppet. 

But  Nobunaga  had  work  to  do,  and  it  was  work  that 
required  great  energy  and  a  firm  hand.  First  of  all, 
the  fighting  among  the  great  daimio  or  chieftains  had 
to  be  stopped.  This  was  not  so  very  difficult,  for  since 
they  quarreled  among  themselves,  they  were  not  pow- 
erful enough  to  oppose  the  vice  regent's  well-drilled 
troops.  But  he  had  more  difficulty  in  dealing  with 
the  powerful  Buddhist  convents.  The  city  of  Osaka, 
about  thirty-seven  miles  from  the  capital,  Kyoto,  had 
been  fortified  by  them.  Five  powerful  castles,  having 
strong  connections,  defended  this  city.  After  a  long 
siege,  he  captured  three  of  these  castles,  but  the  other 
two  held  out,  and  he  tried  to  starve  them  into  surrender. 


When  at  last  the  inmates  were  suffering  from  famine, 
they  attempted  to  cut  their  way  through  the  besiegers 
during  the  night,  but  they  were  driven  back  after  show- 
ing the  greatest  courage. 


Samurai  marching 

Now  Nobunaga  was  threatened  in  his  rear.  He  had 
left  only  a  small  garrison  at  Kyoto,  and  was  informed 
that  one  of  the  daimio  and  an  army  of  monks  from  the 


wealthiest  convent  of  Japan  had  marched  upon  the 
capital.  Leaving  a  sufficient  number  of  troops  before 
Osaka,  he  himself  hastened  to  the  relief  of  Kyoto,  and 
defeated  his  opponents.  Nobunaga  thereupon  pro- 
ceeded to  the  convent,  drove  the  monks  out,  and  set 
fire  to  the  buildings.  He  then  returned  to  Osaka, 
which  surrendered. 


Temple  in  Kyoto 

Nobunaga  had  two  lieutenants  trained  by  him,  in 
whom  he  had  great  confidence.  Both  were  able  and 
brave  men.  The  first  was  Hideyoshi  (hid-ee-yosh-ee). 
At  first  this  man  had  no  name  to  boast  of,  for  he  was 
only  the  son  of  a  poor  peasant,  and  therefore  had  no 
right  to  be  a  warrior.  He  began  life  as  a  betto  (bet-toh) 
or  groom  of  Nobunaga ;  but  he  showed  so  much  skill 
and  courage,  that  first  he  was  allowed  to  enter  the 


ranks  and  afterwards  received  a  small  command.  In 
this  he  proved  so  successful,  that  he  was  again  and 
again  promoted,  until  he  was  second  in  command  to 
Nobunaga. 

He  was  very  small  in  size,  ill  formed  in  limbs,  and 
altogether  made  a  very  poor  impression.     The  redeem- 


Hideyoshi 

ing  features  were  his  eyes,  especially  when  he  smiled ; 
but  I  must  tell  you  his  story  in  another  chapter,  after 
I  have  given  an  account  of  Nobunaga's  death. 

Hideyoshi  was  besieging  a  castle  which  was  defended 
so  stubbornly  that  Nobunaga  went  to  his  assistance. 
On  his  way  the  latter  heard  that  there  was  a  conspiracy 
in  the  palace  of  the  capital,  and,  leaving  his  troops  to 
continue  their  march,  he  went  with  a  small  band  to 


73 

Kyoto.  When  night  came  on,  he  sought  shelter  in  a 
Buddhist  convent.  In  the  middle  of  the  night  this 
cloister  was  surrounded  by  the  clansmen  of  one  of  his 
captains  upon  whom  he  had  played  some  practical  joke. 
This  captain  attacked  the  convent  and  set  fire  to  the 
buildings.  When  Nobunaga  saw  that  no  escape  was 
possible,  he  ended  his  life  in  the  samurai  fashion ;  that 
is,  he  committed  hara-kiri. 


THE  LORD  OF  THE  GOLDEN  WATER 
GOURDS 

IN  the  last  chapter  mention  was  made  of  the  low 
origin  of  Hideyoshi,  and  in  a  former  chapter  I  told 
you  how  the  Japanese  nobles  adopted  coats  of  arms 
or  crests,  just  as  the  noble  families  of  Europe  did  dur- 
ing the  Middle  Ages.  Hideyoshi,  of  course,  had  no 
crest;  but  when,  in  1575,  he  obtained  a  command,  he 
adopted  a  water  gourd  as  his  emblem,  and  added 
another  one  for  every  victory  he  gained,  until  the 
number  grew  into  a  large  bunch,  and  he  was  called 
The  Lord  of  the  Golden  Water  Gourds. 

When  Hideyoshi  heard  of  the  death  of  his  friend  and 
master  Nobunaga,  he  knew  that  it  was  his  duty  to  punish 
the  murderer.  But,  if  for  that  purpose  he  should  raise 
the  siege,  he  was  quite  certain  that  the  rebel  chieftains 
would  fall  upon  his  rear,  and  endanger  the  situation. 
His  decision,  however,  was  soon  made.  He  informed 
the  besieged  of  the  murder,  and  frankly  confessed  that 
he  was  about  to  pursue  the  man  who  was  responsible 
for  Nobunaga's  death.  He  concluded  by  saying  that 
he  was  willing  to  make  peace  with  them  for  a  time  or 
forever ;  but  if  they  did  not  accept  his  terms  then  and 
there,  he  would  soon  return  with  as  powerful  an  army 
as  could  be  raised  in  Japan. 
74 


75 

You  will  readily  understand  how  those  proud  chief- 
tains hated  the  upstart,  but  they  knew  also  that  "  the 
crowned  monkey,"  as  they  called  him  on  account  of 
his  features,  was  not  the  man  to  make  idle  threats,  and 
that  the  army  of  Nobunaga  would  be  ready  to  join  him. 
They  therefore  accepted  his  terms  and  agreed  to  serve 
under  him.  Reenforced  by  his  former  enemies,  Hide- 
yoshi  now  advanced  upon  Kyoto. 

Brave  and  reckless  as  he  was,  the  anxiety  to  reach 
the  capital  before  Nobunaga's  traitor  captain  could 
secure  a  foothold,  caused  the  general  to  hurry  on  before 
his  army.  About  halfway  between  Hiogo  (hee-yoh-goh) 
and  Osaka,  he  came  unexpectedly  upon  a  scouting  party 
of  the  traitor,  and  a  fight  ensued  in  which  he  was  parted 
from  his  guard. 

There  was  a  small  temple,  surrounded  by  rice  fields, 
which  resemble  swamps  because  of  the  constant  irriga- 
tion needed  in  the  growing  of  rice.  A  narrow  path, 
scarcely  wide  enough  for  a  horse,  led  to  the  temple, 
and  Hideyoshi  spurred  his  horse  over  it.  Near  the 
temple  he  jumped  off,  turned  his  horse  on  the  path, 
and  pricking  it  with  his  dirk,  sent  it  galloping  back. 
He  then  ran  into  the  temple,  where  he  found  the  priests 
taking  their  baths.  The  bath  room  in  Japan  is  a  large 
square  apartment  where  all  can  take  their  baths  at  the 
same  time.  So  Hideyoshi  threw  off  his  clothes  and 
jumped  in,  and  when  his  pursuers  searched  the  temple, 
they  took  only  a  cursory  glance  at  the  bathing  priests. 
But  now  Hideyoshi's  guard  had  come  up,  and  the  scout- 
ing party  was  driven  off.  Hideyoshi  put  on  his  clothes 
and  continued  his  march  at  the  head  of  his  troops. 


76 

For  twelve  days  the  traitor  who  had  planned  to  take 
Nobunaga's  place  had  been  master  in  Kyoto,  when 
Hideyoshi  with  his  army  approached  the  Yodo  River. 
The  same  battlefield  where  Japan's  fate  had  been  de- 
cided when  the  Minamoto  were  defeated  by  the  Taira, 
was  to  see  a  new  ruler  rise  to  direct  her  destinies. 
The  traitor's  troops  were  routed,  and  as  he  was  trying 
to  escape,  he  was  nearly  killed  with  a  pitchfork  in 
the  hands  of  a  peasant.  He  ended  his  life  in  the  usual 
way,  by  hara-kiri,  but  his  head  was  cut  off  and  put  on 
a  stake  near  the  place  where  Nobunaga  had  fallen. 
This  victory  made  Hideyoshi  master  of  the  situation, 
and  he  was  not  the  man  to  neglect  his  opportunities. 

It  was  natural  enough  that  the  chieftains,  who  had 
unwillingly  and  after  repeated  struggles  submitted  to 
Nobunaga,  should  object  to  obey  the  orders  of  a  man 
of  such  humble  origin  as  Hideyoshi.  But  it  was  not 
long  before  they  learned  that,  willingly  or  not,  the  orders 
issued  by  the  "crowned  monkey  "  must  be  obeyed.  He 
marched  against  the  chieftains  who  denied  his  authority, 
and  after  a  few  decisive  battles,  convinced  them  that  a 
strong  hand  ruled  in  Kyoto.  Then,  for  the  first  time 
in  many  years,  order  was  restored  and  Japan  began  to 
recover  from  the  long  period  of  misrule  and  civil  war. 

Nobunaga  had  been  a  general  and  nothing  more. 
The  Lord  of  the  Golden  Water  Gourds  was  not  only  an 
able  general :  he  was  also  a  crafty  politician.  In  those 
days  the  Japanese  were  very  superstitious  ;  in  fact,  they 
are  so  even  to  this  day.  I  do  not  mean  the  few  who 
have  traveled  in  this  country  or  in  Europe,  but  the 
great  mass  of  the  people.  I  have  told  you  before  that 


77 

the  principal  food  of  the  Japanese  is  rice,  and  the  peas- 
ants have  the  greatest  respect  for  Inari  (ee-nah-ree),  the 
god  of  rice.  Wherever  you  go  in  Japan,  you  will  see 
shrines  erected  to  him,  sometimes  by  the  roadside  near 
a  village,  at  other  times  hidden  in  a  beautiful  copse  of 


A  roadside  shrine 

maples  or  evergreens,  or  again  covered  by  the  leaves  of 
the  bamboo,  near  the  fence  of  a  farmyard.  The  peasants 
also  believe  that  the  fox  is  the  servant  of  the  rice  god, 
and  that  he  can  bewitch  people.  One  of  Hideyoshi's 
maidservants  took  a  notion  that  a  fox  had  bewitched 
her,  and  was  so  convinced  of  the  fact  that  the  other 


78 

servants  began  to  be  afraid  of  her.  The  matter  was 
reported  to  Hideyoshi.  He  smiled,  and  said  there  was 
a  cure  for  this.  He  wrote  a  letter  to  the  god  of  rice, 
requesting  him  to  find  out  which  fox  had  done  the  deed, 
and  to  punish  him  if  he  could  give  no  good  reasons  for 
his  action.  The  woman,  firmly  believing  that  this  letter 
would  have  the  desired  effect,  was  soon  cured. 

On  one  of  his  campaigns,  it  was  necessary  to  ship  a 
number  of  horses  across  an  inlet  of  the  sea.  The  boat- 
men were  afraid.  "We  don't  like  to,"  they  said;  "the 
sea  god  might  be  angry,  and  what  would  become  of  us 
then  ? "  Hideyoshi  quietly  called  for  pen  and  paper, 
and  gravely  indicted  a  letter  which  read  as  follows :  — 

HONORABLE  MR.  SEA  GOD: 

The  horses  belonging  to  the  army  of  the  Heaven  Child  must  be 
transported  across  this  inlet,  and  I,  the  unworthy  commander  of 
these  troops,  have  engaged  the  boatmen  to  perform  this  work.  As 
they  are  acting  in  the  service  of  the  Tenn6,  you  will  please  grant 
them  a  safe  passage. 

This  letter  was  read  to  the  boatmen  and  then  cast 
into  the  sea.  Satisfied  that  this  would  appease  the  sea 
god,  the  boatmen  promptly  transported  the  horses. 

Hideyoshi  had  now  pacified  Japan ;  that  is,  the 
daimio  acknowledged  him  as  their  master,  because  they 
had  been  made  to  understand  that  any  disobedience 
would  bring  swift  and  sure  punishment.  The  Lord  of 
the  Golden  Water  Gourds  was  sure  of  his  army,  and  he 
was  no  niggard  in  giving  land  to  his  faithful  captains. 
From  this  time,  the  land  really  did  belong  to  the  daimio, 
although  in  theory  they  held  it  in  fief,  that  is,  as  a  loan, 
from  the  Tenno. 


SECOND    INVASION   OF   KOREA 

I  HAVE  told  you  before  how  the  rich  and  powerful 
Buddhist  monks  opposed  Nobunaga.  To  curtail 
their  influence,  Nobunaga  showed  much  favor  to  the 
Portuguese  missionaries,  and  the  greater  part  of  the 
island  of  Kiushiu  was  converted  to  Christianity.  The 
missionaries  also  succeeded  on  the  island  of  Hondo,  and 
one  of  the  most  favored  captains  of  Hideyoshi  was  a 
Christian.  The  Lord  of  the  Golden  Water  Gourds  was 
indifferent.  He  did  not  care  whether  a  Japanese  was  a 
Christian  or  a  Buddhist,  so  long  as  he  obeyed  the  laws 
as  laid  down  by  him.  But  now  that  Japan  was  pacified, 
the  question  arose  as  to  what  to  do  with  the  large 
number  of  soldiers  whom  his  successes  had  brought 
to  his  standard. 

These  soldiers  were  samurai,  or  knights.  To  them  it" 
seemed  the  greatest  disgrace  to  learn  a  trade  or  to  earn 
a  living.  They  were  willing  to  defend  their  country 
or  their  lord,  but  they  demanded  to  be  supported  in 
time  of  peace,  without  being  compelled  to  do  any  work, 
except  to  practice  with  their  arms.  The  country,  how- 
ever, was  now  too  poor  to  support  such  a  number  of 
men  in  idleness.  Besides  this,  these  samurai  were  fond 
of  fighting.  For  some  time  Hideyoshi  kept  them  quiet 
79 


8o 

by  introducing  a  ceremonious  tea  drinking,  the  rules  of 
which  were  very  complicated  and  caused  much  study. 
But  he  knew  that  he  must  give  them  more  serious 
work,  or  he  would  have  to  face  awkward  troubles  at 
home. 

While  considering  this  question,  the  thought  occurred 
to  him  to  occupy  his  troops  with  the  conquest  of  China. 
He  did  not  for  a  moment  doubt  that  they  could  accom- 


Castle  of  Hideyoshi's  time 

plish  it.  American  boys  sometimes  use  the  expression, 
"  It  is  as  easy  as  falling  off  a  log."  Hideyoshi  thought 
the  same  thing  when  he  said,  "  It  is  as  easy  as  rolling 
up  a  mat  and  carrying  it  off  under  the  arm."  When 
he  finally  made  up  his  mind,  it  was  decided  that  Korea 
should  first  be  captured. 

Hideyoshi  could  not  very  well   assume  the  title  of 
regent,  for  that  would  have  offended  the  whole  of  the 


81 

Japanese  nobility;  but  he  secured  the  office  of  prime 
minister,  which  gave  him  more  power  than  any  regent 
had  ever  possessed.  He 'could  declare  war  without  con- 
sulting anybody.  Soon  it  was  speedily  known  that  an 
expedition  against  Korea  was  to  be  made. 

When  the  poor  Koreans  heard  what  was  in  store  for 
them,  they  did  not  like  it  at  all.  Between  the  Chinese 
on  one  side,  and  the  Japanese  on  the  other,  they  had  a 
hard  time  of  it.  The  Chinese  had  forbidden  them  to 
send  tribute  to  Japan,  and  so  they  had  not  sent  any  for 
almost  a  hundred  years.  This  was  all  very  well  so  long 
as  the  Ashikaga  regents  pretended  to  rule  Japan ;  but 
now  that  there  was  a  man  at  the  head  of  the  govern- 
ment who  knew  how  to  make  himself  obeyed,  the 
Koreans  sent  several  embassies  to  settle  the  dispute  in 
a  peaceable  manner. 

But  Hideyoshi  did  not  want  peace.  He  had  deter- 
mined to  conquer  China,  and  nothing  less  than  that 
would  do.  Besides  this,  he  firmly  believed  that  the 
Japanese  had  conquered  Korea  under  Empress  Jingu, 
and  that  it  really  belonged  to  Japan.  Preparations 
were  therefore  made  to  send  a  strong  army  so  that  this 
conquest  would  not  occupy  too  much  time,  and  so  that 
China's  turn  might  come  as  soon  as  possible.  This 
took  place  near  the  close  of  the  sixteenth  century. 

But  who  should  command  this  expedition  ?  Hide- 
yoshi was  too  well  acquainted  with  the  history  of 
Japan  to  trust  one  general,  who  after  being  success- 
ful might  declare  himself  independent ;  then  it  would 
be  more  difficult  to  punish  him  than  to  conquer  the 
peninsula.  To  go  himself  would  be  exceedingly  dan- 

STO.  OF  JAPAN  —  6 


82 


gerous,  since  his  absence  from  Japan  might  lead  to 
the  rebellion  of  the  nobles,  who  were  not  over  fond 
of  him.  At  last  he  decided  to  divide  the  expedition 
into  two  armies,  to  be  commanded  by  two  of  his  best 
officers,  who  were  not  only  rivals,  but  hated  each  other ; 
so  that  one  would  act  as  a  check  upon  the  other. 

It  may  be  that  the  introduction  of  the  system  of  official 
spies  dates  from  this  time.     It  is  a  very  curious  custom, 


Invasion  of  Korea 

and  shows  the  distrust  the  samurai  have  toward  each 
other.  It  is  well  worth  reading  about,  and  will  be  ex- 
plained more  fully  in  another  chapter. 

When  a  large  fleet  had  been  assembled,  Hideyoshi 
appointed  to  the  command  of  one  army,  one  of  his  cap- 
tains who  had  become  a  Christian ;  whereas  the  general 
in  charge  of  the  other  army  hated  all  the  Christians, 
and  especially  his  rival.  Now  you  might  think  that 


83 

these  two  armies  would  not  be  apt  to  work  very  well 
together,  and  so  it  proved.  At  first  they  carried  every- 
thing before  them.  The  Koreans  were  defeated,  and 
Soiil  (sowl),  the  capital,  was  taken.  The  Japanese  acted 
very  brutally  wherever  they  went.  But  war  is  always 
conducted  with  more  or  less  cruelty,  and  in  those  days 
soldiers  thought  it  their  duty  to  shed  as  much  blood 
as  they  could.  The  king  of  Korea  left  his  capital  and 
withdrew  to  Ping-yang  on  the  Tatung  (tah-tongue) 
River,  the  same  place  where  the  Japanese  defeated  the 
Chinese  in  September,  1894.  But  here  also  he  was 
followed  by  his  enemy,  and  it  looked  for  some  time  as 
if  Korea  would  really  become  a  province  of  Japan. 
Meanwhile  the  two  Japanese  armies  acted  independ- 
ently, and  the  king  of  Korea  sent  an  embassy  to  the 
emperor  of  China,  asking  for  immediate  assistance. 

The  ruler  of  this  great  empire  was  very  well  aware 
that  if  the  Japanese  succeeded  in  conquering  Korea,  he 
would  have  brave  and  ambitious  neighbors  who  would 
give  him  no  rest.  So  he  decided  at  once  to  help  the 
Koreans.  To  gain  time,  he  first  sent  officers  to  the 
Japanese  to  order  them  to  get  out  of  the  peninsula  on 
threat  of  punishment  from  their  master.  The  Japanese 
only  laughed,  and  they  made  it  very  uncomfortable  for 
these  officers.  But  the  emperor  of  China  was  now 
thoroughly  alarmed,  and,  collecting  a  powerful  army, 
sent  it  into  Korea. 

If  the  two  Japanese  generals  had  acted  in  harmony, 
there  is  no  doubt  that  they  would  have  defeated  the 
Chinese.  But  they  did  not  even  help  each  other,  and 
the  consequence  was  that  one  army  was  defeated,  and 


84 

the  other  was  besieged  in  the  capital.  The  name  Japa- 
nese had  now  grown  so  detested  in  Korea  that  the 
usually  gentle  people  would  attack  and  kill  any  single 
Japanese,  and  it  was  dangerous  for  the  samurai  to  walk 
in  the  streets,  unguarded.  At  last  the  Japanese  were 
compelled  to  treat  for  peace,  and  the  only  trophy  which 
Hideyoshi's  troops  brought  from  China  was  a  ghastly 
heap  of  ten  thousand  ears,  cut  off  from  the  heads  of 
Koreans.  A  mound  was  built  over  them  in  the  form 
of  five  tiers,  and  is  still  shown  in  Kyoto  as  a  token  of 
Japanese  courage. 

Korea  has  never  recovered  from  this  Japanese  inva- 
sion. Cities  and  fields  were  laid  waste,  and  while  the 
Japanese  are  said  to  have  lost  a  hundred  thousand 
men,  the  loss  of  Korean  lives  must  have  been  much 
greater. 

When  the  remnant  of  Hideyoshi's  army  returned  to 
Japan,  they  brought  with  them  a  number  of  skilled 
Korean  workmen,  who  instructed  the  Japanese  in  new 
and  better  ways  of  making  porcelain  and  what  is 
known  as  Satsuma  (sat-soo-mah)  ware.  That  was  all 
the  benefit  they  derived  from  their  expensive  expedition. 

Chinese  ambassadors  had  arrived  in  Kyoto,  and 
handed  to  Hideyoshi  a  letter  in  which  their  emperor 
offered  to  make  him  king  of  Japan.  But  the  Lord  of 
the  Golden  Water  Gourds  was  not  like  the  Ashikaga 
regents.  He  was  furious,  tore  up  the  letter,  and  plainly 
told  the  messengers  that  Japan  was  an  independent 
country  concerning  which  the  Chinese  emperor  had 
nothing  to  say.  He  would  no  longer  listen  to  them, 
but  sent  them  away  in  disgrace. 


85 

Now,  though  this  war  was  begun  and  maintained  by 
Hideyoshi,  still  he  had  officially  retired  from  public  life 
before  the  expedition  had  left,  and  had  been  succeeded 
by  his  baby  son  Hideyori  (hid-ee-yoh-ree).  But  so  it 
had  been  for  years  in  Japan.  As  soon  as  a  good,  strong 
man  was  established  as  the  real  head  of  the  govern- 
ment, he  would  resign  in  favor  of  some  puppet,  and  from 
his  retirement  would  wield  more  power  than  ever  be- 
fore. Hideyoshi  died  seven  years  after  he  had  resigned. 
He  is  best  known  among  Japanese  boys  and  girls  by 
the  name  of  Taiko  Sama  (tl-koh  sah-mah),  or  My  Lord 
Taiko,  a  name  assumed  by  him  when  his  son  became 
prime  minister. 


THE   THREE    HOLLYHOCK    LEAVES 

AMONG  the  chieftains  of  the  smaller  clans  who  had 
joined  in  opposing  Hideyoshi  after  Nobunaga's 
death  was  one  whose  badge  was  three  hollyhock  leaves 
in  a  circle.  This  squire,  as  he  might  be  called,  claimed 
to  be  a  descendant  of  the  Minamoto.  He  said  that  one 
of  the  younger  sons  of  Minamoto  had,  in  the  twelfth 
century,  adopted  the  name  of  Tokugawa  (toh-koong- 
gah'-wah),  and  that  the  father  of  this  young  squire, 
himself  a  warrior  of  some  reputation,  had  adopted  this 
crest  or  coat  of  arms. 

Young  Hollyhock  had  served,  both  under  Nobunaga, 
and  under  Hideyoshi.  When,  after  Nobunaga's  death, 
he  foresaw  that  the  "  crowned  monkey  "  would  soon  be 
master  of  Japan,  he  hastened  to  make  peace  with  him, 
and  Hideyoshi  rewarded  him  by  giving  him  his  sister 
in  marriage  and  making  him  governor  of  the  fertile 
plain  around  Yedo  (yed-doh)  Bay.  Since  the  Ashikaga 
regents,  Kamakura  had  no  longer  been  the  capital,  and 
Hollyhock  looked  around  for  another  place  to  build  a 
residence  for  himself.  He  chose  the  site  where  Tokyo 
(toh-kyoh)  now  stands,  and  named  it  Yedo  or  Door  of 
the  Bay. 

So  Hollyhock  was  brother-in-law  of  the  Lord  of  the 
86 


87 

Golden  Water  Gourds,  and  uncle  of  Hideyori,  who  had 
succeeded  his  father.  But  Hideyoshi  had  but  little  con- 
fidence in  the  ability  of  his  son,  for  on  his  deathbed  he 
appointed  his  brother-in-law  as  guardian,  and  nominated 
a  council  to  assist  him  in  the  government.  It  soon 
became  evident  that  Hollyhock  would  allow  no  one  to 


lyeyasu 


dictate  to  him,  or  even  to  interfere  with  his  plans. 
His  opponents  in  the   council   took   alarm,  and, 
accusing  him  of  plotting,  raised  a  force.     A  battle  was 
fought  in  the  first  year  of  the  seventeenth  century,  in 
which  Hollyhock  was  the  victor,  and  from  that  moment 
he  was  the  ruler  of  Japan. 

The  real  name  of  this  most   remarkable   man    was 
lyeyasu  (ee-yay-yas).     He  established  a  new  family  of 


88 

regents,  and  his  descendants  ruled  over  Japan  for  more 
than  two  hundred  and  fifty  years,  indeed  until  1868, 
when  the  present  emperor  was  taken  from  the  seclusion 
in  which  his  family  had  lived  for  centuries  in  the  capital, 
and  assumed  the  duties  of  government.  It  was  this 
regent  who  decided  that  it  would  be  better  for  Japan  to 
decline  having  anything  to  do  with  the  outside  world, 
and  who  therefore  forbade  foreigners  to  come  to,  or 
Japanese  to  leave,  the  country.  To  sum  up  in  a  few 
words,  he  made  of  Japan  what  she  was  at  the  time 
when  Commodore  Perry  steamed  up  Yedo  Bay  in  his 
flagship,  the  Mississippi. 

lyeyasu  became  the  real  ruler  of  Japan  in  1600,  and 
his  first  task  was  to  redivide  Japan.  The  chieftains 
who  had  helped  him  in  battle  received  large  additions  of 
territory,  which  was  taken  from  those  who  had  opposed 
him. 

The  title  of  every  chieftain,  as  I  have  explained  be- 
fore, was  daimio.  Some  of  these  lords  had  very  large 
possessions  and  were  very  powerful.  lyeyasu  saw  that 
as  long  as  he  could  keep  them  divided,  and  prevent 
them  from  plotting  together,  and  especially  from  obtain- 
ing possession  of  the  sacred  person  of  the  puppet  em- 
peror, the  government  would  continue  in  his  hands  and 
in  those  of  his  descendants.  To  accomplish  this,  he 
created  a  large  number  of  new  daimio,  from  among  his 
most  faithful  officers,  and  supplied  them  with  land  taken 
from  the  great  daimio  or  from  property  of  his  former 
opponents. 

He  took  care  that  not  only  the  capital,  but  also  every 
territory,  whose  lord  was  not  known  to  be  stanch  to  him, 


89 

should  be  completely  hemmed  in  by  daimio  in  whom 
he  could  place  confidence  because  their  interests  were 
the  same  as  those  of  the  regent,  and  as  he  improved 
the  spy  system  to  a  standard  of  excellence  unheard 
of  in  the  history  of  the  world,  he  was  tolerably  sure 
that  nothing  could  pass  in  any  territory  within  the  limits 
of  Japan,  that  would  not  be  accurately  reported  in 


Merchant  ship  of  lyeyasu's  time 

the  regent's  capital  before  it  could  become  dangerous 
to  the  state  or  to  the  regent's  interests. 

Up  to  this  time  there  had  been  no  written  laws. 
The  control  over  the  people  was  so  absolute,  and  the 
supervision  so  strict,  that  criminals  were  few,  and 
punishment. was  meted  out  to  them  in  short  order. 
It  was  a  principle  of  Japanese  unwritten  law  that  no 
prisoner  could  be  executed  unless  he  had  confessed, 


90 

and  to  obtain  the  avowal  of  his  crime,  torture  was  re- 
sorted to.  The  judge,  in  civil  as  well  as  in  criminal 
cases,  was  expected  to  render  a  verdict  prompted  by 
common  sense. 

Every  daimio  had  the  right  to  judge  in  his  own  terri- 
tory;  but  if  his  people  believed  themselves  in  any 
way  oppressed,  they  had  the  privilege  of  an  appeal 
to  the  regent,  who,  if  the  daimio  was  proved  guilty 
of  misgovernment,  had  power  to  remove  him  to  another 
territory  or  even  to  condemn  him  to  commit  suicide. 
Japanese  books  tell  of  many  instances  in  illustration  of 
this  custom. 

lyeyasu  knew  that  the  prosperity  of  the  country 
depended  upon  the  industry  and  thrift  of  the  masses, 
and  he  was  firmly  resolved  to  afford  them  protection. 
But  his  sympathies  were  with  the  samurai,  and  he 
granted  them  such  privileges  as  to  make  them  really 
masters  of  the  people. 

They  were  above  the  law ;  that  is,  a  samurai  could 
not  be  judged  as  one  who  belonged  to  the  common 
people.  But  he  had  a  code  of  honor,  the  violation  of 
which  involved  suicide  by  hara-kiri,  or  eternal  disgrace 
accompanied  by  expulsion  from  his  order.  The  clan, 
moreover,  was  held  responsible  for  the  good  behavior  of 
every  samurai  belonging  to  it,  and  a  crime  committed 
by  one  of  them  might  be  punished  by  a  verdict  of  hara- 
kiri  for  several  members,  especially  for  those  who  were 
in  a  position  to  prevent  its  commission  and  had  neg- 
lected to  do  so. 

On  the  other  hand,  if  a  samurai  felt  himself  insulted, 
he  was  compelled  to  wipe  off  the  stain  with  blood ;  and 


if  he  could  not  do  so  without  endangering  his  clan,  he 
had  the  privilege  to  become  a  ronin  (roh-neen),  or  a 
free  lance,  who  owed  allegiance  to  no  one,  but  acted 
wholly  upon  his  own  responsibility. 


Procession  of  daimio  in  the  city 

This  privilege  was  resorted  to  especially  in  cases 
where  the  act  of  a  samurai  might  embroil  the  clan 
with  the  regent's  government  in  Yedo.  The  samurai 


92 

was,  in  such  a  case,  risking  his  own  life,  but  that 
was  a  matter  of  minor  consideration.  He  had  been 
brought  up  from  earliest  youth  in  the  belief  that 
loyalty  to  the  clan  was  the  first  and  vital  principle  of 
the  samurai;  he  had  been  taught  that  the  sacrifice  of 
his  life  might  be  demanded  at  any  time,  and  that  such 
a  death  would  render  him  celebrated,  not  only  among 
the  members  of  his  own  clan,  but  wherever  the  lan- 
guage of  Japan  was  understood.  If  he  read  books, 
the  subjects  of  most  of  them  were  incidents  in  the 
lives  of  loyal  samurai,  generally  ending  in  a  ceremonious 
hara-kiri.  If  he  visited  the  theater,  the  same  subject 
was  illustrated  on  the  stage.  To  him  death  was  an 
incident,  to  be  coveted  rather  than  feared. 

The  clan  itself  was  or  became  in  time  a  theocratic 
republic,  that  is,  a  republic  of  which  the  daimio,  sup- 
posed to  be  a  god,  was  the  president ;  and  he  could  be 
elected  only  from  the  family  of  the  daimio.  I  have 
told  you  before  how  puppet  emperors  were  made  and 
unmade ;  how  the  same  fate  awaited  the  regents  who 
succeeded  in  power ;  and  the  clans  were  naturally  gov- 
erned on  the  same  plan.  When  lyeyasu  created  new 
daimio  out  of  his  best  officers,  they,  of  course,  ruled 
their  clans  in  person,  but  even  they  were  compelled 
to  consult  the  samurai  out  of  whose  ranks  they  had 
risen. 

The  bravest  and  ablest  of  these  samurai  naturally 
obtained  the  greatest  influence  in  the  clan,  and  formed 
a  council  in  which  its  affairs  were  deliberated  and  de- 
cided upon.  The  daimio  was  then  acquainted  with 
their  decision,  and  if  he  approved,  his  crest  or  seal 


93 

affixed  to  a  document  gave  it  the  force  of  law,  and  the 
clan  was  expected  to,  and  would,  abide  by  it  to  the 
death.  If  the  lord  of  the  clan  did  object  to  anything 


Procession  of  daimio  in  the  country 

approved  by  his  council  and  could  not  be  brought  to 
reason,  another  council  was  held,  and  if  the  decision 
of  the  first  was  affirmed,  the  daimio  was  respectfully 
but  firmly  informed  that  he  must  resign.  In  such  a 


94 

case  his  heir  was  raised  to  the  dignity  and  the  former 
lord  withdrew  into  private  life.  The  honor,  dignity, 
and  policy  of  the  clan  were  thus  intrusted  to  the  ablest 
among  them,  and  loyalty  was  not  a  personal  affair,  but 
one  belonging  to  the  clan  as  a  body.  • 

Try  to  remember  this  and  you  will  understand  how 
Japan,  in  a  very  few  years,  has  made  such  rapid  prog- 
ress. But  now  I  must  tell  you  some  true  stories  of 
how  the  Portuguese  succeeded  in  converting  the  Japa- 
nese to  Christianity ;  why  they  were  expelled  from  the 
country;  and  why  lyeyasu  forbade  foreigners  to  come 
to  Japan. 


THE    DUTCH    IN    JAPAN 

IN  the  fifty  years  that  had  gone  by  since  the  Portu- 
guese first  landed  in  Japan,  they  had  made  many 
converts.  In  Kiushiu  alone  they  baptized  more  than 
fifty  thousand  Japanese  and  founded  fifty  churches. 
The  daimio  of  Arima  (ah-ree-mah),  Bungo  (Boon-goh), 
and  Omura  (oh-moo-rah)  were  among  the  number  who 
embraced  Christianity,  although  they  did  not  openly 
favor  the  new  religion. 

The  trade  with  Japan  was  exceedingly  valuable  to 
Portugal,  for  many  tons  of  gold,  silver,  and  copper 
were  exported  from  Japan  every  year.  The  large  profit 
from  such  a  trade  made  other  nations  of  Europe  anxious 
to  obtain  a  share  of  it ;  and  because,  at  that  time,  the 
English  and  the  Dutch  were  the  most  enterprising,  it 
was  natural  that  one  of  these  should  first  become  a 
rival  of  the  Portuguese. 

The  Dutch  had  fitted  out  some  ships  to  go  trading  in 
the  Indian  and  Pacific  oceans,  and  had  engaged  an 
Englishman,  Will  Adams,  to  act  as  their  pilot,  just  as 
they  had  taken  Henry  Hudson  to  steer  one  of  their 
ships  to  America.  Here  is  what  Will  Adams  says  of 
himself :  — 

"Your  worships  shall  understand  that  I  am  a  Kentish 
95 


96 

man,  born  in  a  town  called  Gillingham,  two  English 
miles  from  Rochester,  and  one  mile  from  Chatham, 
where  the  queen's  (Elizabeth's)  ships  do  lie ;  and  that, 
from  the  age  of  twelve  years,  I  was  brought  up  in 
Limehouse,  near  London,  being  'prentice  twelve  years 
to  one  master,  Nicholas  Diggins,  and  have  served  in 
the  place  of  master  and  pilot  in  her  majesty's  ships, 
and  about  eleven  or  twelve  years  served  the  worshipful 
company  of  the  Barbary  merchants,  until  the  Indian 
traffic  from  Holland  began,  in  which  Indian  traffic  I 
was  desirous  to  make  a  little  experience  of  the  small 
knowledge  which  God  had  given  me. 

"So,  in  the  year  of  our  Lord  God  1598,  I  hired  my- 
self for  chief  pilot  of  a  fleet  of  five  sail  of  Hollanders, 
which  was  made  ready  by  the  chief  of  their  Indian 
Company ;  the  general  of  this  fleet  was  called  Jacques 
Mayhay,  in  which  ship,  being  admiral,  I  was  pilot." 

The  fleet  set  sail  from  Holland  on  the  24th  of  June, 
1 598.  The  ships  of  those  days  were  small  and  carried, 
besides  a  strong  crew  to  defeat  any  enemy  who  might 
attack  them,  and  the  necessary  arms,  a  very  heavy 
cargo,  so  that  there  was  not  much  room  for  provisions 
or  fresh  water.  Before  these  vessels  had  crossed  the 
equator,  so  many  of  their  crew  were  sick  that  they 
were  compelled  to  seek  the  nearest  land,  which  was 
the  coast  of  Guinea,  and  here  many  of  their  men  died, 
among  whom  was  their  admiral,  —  or  general,  as  they 
called  him. 

After  more  than  nine  months  they  reached  the  Straits 
of  Magellan,  in  April,  1599,  "at  which  time,"  says 
honest  Will,  "  the  winter  came,  so  that  there  was  much 


97 

snow :  and  our  men,  through  cold  on  the  one  side 
and  hunger  on  the  other,  grew  weak."  Although  there 
were  no  charts  of  the  Straits  of  Magellan  at  that  time, 
Adams  preferred  that  route  to  going  round  Cape  Horn ; 
but  they  were  forced  to  winter  there,  you  can  easily 
imagine  under  what  hardships,  and  it  was  the  24th  of 
September  before  they  succeeded  in  getting  into  the 
Pacific. 

Here  they  were  caught  in  a  storm  which  scattered 
the  ships,  the  Erasmus,  of  which  Adams  was  the  pilot, 
making  for  the  coast  of  Chile,  where ,  Adams  waited 
twenty-eight  days  for  the  other  vessels  to  join  him. 
They,  however,  were  never  heard  of  with  the  excep- 
tion of  one  which  they  lost  sight  of  again  on  the  24th 
of  February,  1600.  It  had  been  decided  that  they 
should  make  for  Japan,  for  the  greater  part  of  their 
cargo  consisted  of  woolen  cloths,  "  which  would  not 
be  much  accepted  in  the  East  Indies  because  they  were 
hot  countries." 

"On  the  nth  of  April,  1600,"  Will  Adams  continues, 
"we  saw  the  high  land  of  Japan,  near  unto  Bungo; 
at  which  time  there  were  no  more  than  five  men  of 
us  able  to  go.  The  I2th  of  April  we  came  hard  to 
(close  to)  Bungo,  where  many  country  barks  came 
aboard  us,  the  people  whereof  we  willingly  let  come, 
having  no  force  to  resist  them.  And  at  this  place  we 
came  to  an  anchor. 

"  The  people  offered  us  no  hurt,  but  stole  all  things 
that  they  could  steal ;  for  which  some  paid  dearly  after- 
ward." 

The  pilot  here  gives  a  hard  name  to  the  Japanese, 
STO.  OF  JAPAN  —  7 


98 

but  does  full  justice  to  the  authorities.  Theft  was  and 
is  very  severely  punished  in  Japan.  But  the  humbler 
classes  of  the  people  are  full  of  curiosity,  and  they  did 
not  think  that  they  were  stealing  when  they  pilfered 
from  the  ships.  When  people  go  traveling  in  foreign 
countries,  they  will  now  and  then  chip  off  little  pieces 
of  monuments  or  statues,  yet  they  do  not  consider  it 
stealing ;  and  it  was  from  the  same  feeling  that  the 
Japanese  took  whatever  they  could  find. 

The  Portuguese  were  at  that  time  at  war  with  Hol- 
land; but  even  if  this  had  not  been  the  case,  it  was  not 
to  be  expected  that  they  would  welcome  a  rival.  You 
must  remember,  besides,  that  they  were  devout  Catho- 
lics, who  detested  the  Protestants,  and  it  was  chiefly  on 
account  of  religion  that  Holland  was  making  war  upon 
Spain  and  Portugal.  You  will  understand,  therefore, 
that  the  Portuguese  did  all  they  could  to  give  the  stran- 
gers a  bad  reputation,  and  honest  pilot  Adams  says :  — 

"  The  evil  report  of  the  Portuguese  caused  the  gov- 
ernor and  common  people  to  think  ill  of  us,  in  such 
manner  that  we  looked  always  when  we  should  be  set 
upon  crosses,  which  is  the  execution  in  this  land  for 
piracy  and  other  crimes.  Thus  daily  more  and  more 
the  Portugals  (Portuguese)  incensed  the  justice  and 
people  against  us." 

But  the  Japanese  acted  on  the  whole  very  honorably. 
The  daimio  sent  soldiers  on  board  to  see  that  none  of 
the  cargo  was  stolen ;  they  piloted  the  ship  into  a  safe 
harbor,  until  the  regent  (lyeyasu)  decided  what  should 
be  done,  and  in  the  meanwhile  they  obtained  permis- 
sion to  land  their  sick,  among  whom  was  the  captain, 


99 

and  were  given  a  comfortable  house.  lyeyasu,  at  this 
time,  was  at  Osaka,  and  he  sent  orders  that  Will 
Adams  and  one  of  the  sailors  should  be  brought  be- 
fore him.  The  story  is  told  so  simply  and  in  such  a 
straightforward  manner  by  him,  that  I  will  let  him  tell 
it  to  you  in  his  own  words.  It  will  also  show  you  what 
kind  of  a  man  lyeyasu  was :  — 

"  So,  taking  one  man  with  me,  I  went  to  him,  taking 
my  leave  of  our  captain,  and  all  the  others  that  were 
sick,  and  commending  myself  into  His  hands,  that  had 
preserved  me  from  so  many  perils  of  the  sea.  I  was 
carried  in  one  of  the  king's  (regent's)  galleys  to  the 
court  at  Osaka,  about  eighty  leagues  from  the  place 
where  the  ship  was.  The  I2th  of  May,  1600,  I  came  to 
the  great  king's  city,  who  caused  me  to  be  brought  into 
the  palace,  being  a  wonderful  costly  house,  gilded  with 
gold  in  abundance. 

"Coming  before  the  king  (lyeyasu),  he  viewed  me 
well,  and  seemed  to  be  kind  and  wonderful  favorable. 
He  made  many  signs  unto  me,  some  of  which  I  under- 
stood, and  some  I  did  not.  In  the  end  there  came  one 
who  could  speak  Portuguese.  By  him  the  king  de- 
manded of  what  land  I  was,  and  what  moved  us  to 
come  to  his  land.  I  showed  unto  him  the  name  of  our 
country,  and  that  our  land  had  long  sought  out  the  East 
Indies,  and  desired  friendship  with  all  kings  and  poten- 
tates in  way  of  merchandise,  having  in  our  land  divers 
commodities,  which  these  lands  had  not ;  and  also  to  buy 
such  merchandise  in  this  land  as  our  country  had  not. 

"  Then  the  great  king  asked  whether  our  country  had 
wars.  I  answered  him,  'Yea,  with  the  Spaniards  and 


IOO 

Portugals  (Portuguese),  being  in  peace  with  all  other 
nations.'  Further,  he  asked  me  in  what  did  I  believe. 
I  said,  '  In  God  that  made  heaven  and  earth.'  He  asked 
me  divers  other  questions  of  things  of  religion,  and 
many  other  things,  as  what  way  we  came  to  his  coun- 
try. Having  a  chart  of  the  whole  world  with  me,  I 
showed  him  through  the  Straits  of  Magelhaens  (Magel- 
lan) ;  at  which  he  wondered,  and  thought  me  to  lie. 

"  Thus,  from  one  thing  to  another,  I  abode  with  him 
till  midnight.  And  having  asked  me  what  merchandise 
we  had  in  our  ship,  I  showed  him  samples  of  all.  In 
the  end,  he  being  ready  to  depart,  I  desired  that  we 
might  have  trade  of  merchandise,  as  the  Portugals  (Por- 
tuguese) had.  To  which  he  made  me  an  answer,  but 
what  it  was  I  did  not  understand.  So  he  commanded 
me  to  be  carried  to  prison.  But  two  days  after  he  sent 
for  me  again,  and  inquired  of  the  qualities  and  condi- 
tions of  our  countries,  of  wars  and  peace,  of  beasts  and 
cattle  of  all  sorts,  of  heaven  and  the  stars.  It  seemed 
that  he  was  well  content  with  all  mine  answers.  Never- 
theless, I  was  commanded  to  prison  again;  but  my 
lodging  was  bettered  in  another  place  (but  I  received 
better  lodging  in  another  place). 

"So  I  remained  nine-and-thirty  days  in  prison,  having 
no  news  neither  of  our  ship  nor  captain,  whether  he 
were  recovered  of  his  sickness,  nor  of  the  rest  of  the 
company  (crew)." 

All  this  time  the  Portuguese  were  trying  to  induce 
lyeyasu  to  have  Adams  and  his  fellow  sailors  executed, 
but  after  considering  the  question  he  answered  thus, 
according  to  Adams  :  — 


IOI 

"  That  as  yet  we  had  done  no  hurt  or  damage  to  him 
nor  to  any  of  his  land,  and  that  therefore  it  was  against 
reason  and  justice  to  put  us  to  death ;  and  if  our  coun- 
tries and  theirs  (Portugal)  had  wars  one  with  the  other, 
that  was  no  cause  that  he  should  put  us  to  death." 
Adams  adds:  "The  emperor  (regent)  answering  them 
in  this  manner,  they  were  quite  out  of  heart  that  their 
cruel  pretense  failed ;  for  the  which,  God  be  praised ! 

"  Now,  in  this  time  that  I  was  in  prison,  the  ship  was 
commanded  to  be  brought  so  near  to  the  city,  where  the 
emperor  was,  as  she  might,  the  which  was  done.  So 
the  one-and-fortieth  day  of  my  imprisonment,  the  em- 
peror (regent)  called  me  before  him  again,  demanding 
of  me  many  questions  more,  which  are  too  long  to  write. 
In  conclusion  he  asked  me  whether  I  were  desirous  to 
go  to  the  ship  to  see  my  countrymen.  I  answered  that 
I  would  very  gladly  do  it ;  so  he  bade  me  go.  Then  I 
departed  and  was  freed  from  imprisonment.  And  this 
was  the  first  news  that  I  had  that  the  ship  and  company 
were  come  to  the  city. 

"Wherefore,  with  a  rejoicing  heart,  I  took  a  boat  and 
went  to  our  ship,  where  I  found  the  captain  and  the 
rest  recovered  of  their  sickness.  But  at  our  first  meet- 
ing aboard  we  saluted  one  another  with  mourning  and 
shedding  of  tears ;  for  they  were  informed  that  I  was 
executed  and  long  since  dead." 

Everything  had  been  taken  out  of  the  ship,  but 
lyeyasu  would  have  no  such  robbery.  He  had  the 
cargo  and  personal  property  collected  and  ordered 
money  to  be  given  to  the  captain  and  his  crew  to 
procure  food  and  other  necessaries.  He  had,  in  the 


IO2 

meanwhile,  returned  to  Yedo,  and  ordered  the  ship  to 
be  brought  there.  The  sailors  mutinied,  demanding 
all  the  money,  and  lyeyasu  refused  to  allow  them  to 
return.  They  now  scattered,  each  man  going  where 
he  pleased.  They  received  during  life  two  pounds 
of  rice  per  day  each,  and  about  $20  per  month,  a 
liberal  allowance,  in  days  when  everything  was  cheap. 

But  Adams  rose  in  great  favor  with  the  regent.  He 
tells  us :  "  So,  in  process  of  four  or  five  years,  the 
emperor  (lyeyasu)  called  me,  as  he  had  done  divers 
times  before,  and  would  have  me  to  make  him  a  small 
ship.  I  answered  that  I  was  no  carpenter,  and  had 
little  knowledge  thereof.  '  Well,'  saith  he,  '  do  it  so 
well  as  you  can ;  if  it  be  not  good,  it  is  no  matter.' 
Wherefore  at  his  command  I  built  him  a  ship,  of  the 
burthen  of  eighty  tons,  or  thereabouts ;  which  ship 
being  made  in  all  proportions  as  our  manner  is,  he 
coming  aboard  to  see  it,  liked  it  well ;  by  which  means 
I  came  in  more  favor  with  him,  so  that  I  came  often 
into  his  presence,  and,  from  time  to  time,  he  gave  me 
many  presents.  Now  being  in  such  grace  and  favor 
with  the  emperor  (lyeyasu),  by  reason  I  taught  him 
some  points  of  geometry  and  the  mathematics,  with  other 
things,  I  pleased  him  so,  that  what  I  said  could  not  be 
contradicted.  At  which  my  former  enemies,  the  Portu- 
guese, did  greatly  wonder,  and  entreated  me  to  befriend 
them  to  the  emperor  in  their  business ;  and  so  by  my 
means,  both  Spaniards  and  Portugals  (Portuguese)  have 
received  friendship  from  the  emperor,  I  recompensing 
their  evil  unto  me  with  good." 

The  captain  of  the  Erasmus  was  at  length  permitted 


103 


to  return.  He  carried  letters  from  Adams  to  England, 
where  the  pilot  had  a  wife  and  two  children.  Adams 
hoped  that  when  it  was  known  where  he  was,  some 
effort  would  be  made  to  obtain  his  release,  for  lye- 


Tree  on  the  coast  where  Will  Adams  lived 


yasu  found 
his  services 
too  valuable 
to    allow    him    to 
return.     He   received 
a   piece   of   land  and 
the     revenues     of     a 

village  for  his  support.  His  tomb  was  discovered  about 
twenty  years  ago  at  Hemi  (hay-mee),  a  village  on  the 
railroad  between  Yokohama  and  Yokosuka  (yo-kos'-kah). 
There  is  a  street  in  Tokyo,  An-jin  (an-jeen)  Cho,  —  Pilot 
Street,  —  named  after  him. 


PERSECUTIONS   OF    THE   CHRISTIANS 

MANY  Spanish  and  Portuguese  missionaries  came 
to  Japan,  and  the  number  of  converts  was  con- 
stantly increasing.  But  the  different  orders  of  priest- 
hood began  to  quarrel  among  themselves,  and  the  regent 
of  Japan  was  a  man  who  was  decided  to  maintain  peace 
in  his  domain.  In  the  year  1597  captains  of  Portuguese 
vessels  were  notified  that  they  must  not  bring  any  more 
priests  into  the  country ;  but  none  the  less  priests  con- 
tinued to  come  from  the  Spanish  possessions  in  the 
Philippine  Islands,  and  some  monks,  with  more  zeal 
than  discretion,  went  to  Kyoto,  preached  in  the  streets 
of  the  capital  and  even  began  to  build  a  church  there, 
although  this  was  against  the  law.  Japanese  books  also 
mention  that  in  1596  a  Portuguese  bishop  met  on  the 
street  one  of  the  highest  officers  of  state  going  to 
court.  Instead  of  having  his  chair  stopped,  as  the  law 
of  courtesy  required,  he  not  only  ordered  his  bearers  to 
go  on,  but  turned  his  head  aside  in  contempt  when  he 
passed  the  official's  chair.  This  in  itself  was  a  direct 
insult,  and  no  Japanese  will  forgive  a  willful  breach 
of  the  laws  of  courtesy.  This  officer  ever  afterwards 
felt  a  deadly  hatred  against  the  Portuguese,  and  con- 
tinually reminded  the  regent  of  their  vanity,  pride,  and 
insolence. 

104 


105 

In  these  days,  too,  the  native  converts  had  become 
overzealous ;  they  insulted  the  Buddhist  priests,  broke 
their  images,  and  even  destroyed  their  temples.  lyeyasu 
thought  that  he  saw  danger  to  the  state  in  this  aggres- 
sive way  of  preaching  the  Christian  religion,  and  de- 
cided to  pluck  it  out,  root  and  branch. 

The  persecution  of  the  Christians  had  commenced 
a  year  before  the  death  of  Hideyoshi.  In  1 597  twenty- 


Temple  of  lyeyasu 

six  Christians  were  crucified,  most  of  them  being  native 
converts,  although  a  few  Portuguese  were  among  the 
number. 

In  the  year  1609  two  Dutch  ships  arrived  in  Japan. 
They  had  come  for  the  purpose  of  capturing  the  Portu- 
guese vessel  which  sailed  once  a  year  from  Macao,  but 
they  were  five  or  six  days  late.  Their  captains  went 
up  to  Yedo;  there  they  were  received  by  the  regent, 


io6 

who  was  favorably  disposed  toward  them  through  the 
efforts  of  Will  Adams.  A  treaty  was  made  by  which 
they  agreed  to  send  one  or  two  vessels  a  year  for  the 
purpose  of  trading.  The  first  vessel  arrived  in  1611, 
and  her  officers  and  crew  were  kindly  received  and 
entertained. 

Before  the  Dutch  had  time  to  establish  any  influence, 
the  persecution  of  Christians  broke  out  with  great  fury, 
and  it  increased  a  few  years  later,  in  1614,  when  a  great 
many  of  the  Japanese  converts,  who  would  not  abjure 
their  faith,  and  trample  on  the  cross,  suffered  death  by 
crucifixion.  Monks  and  priests  of  religious  orders  were 
scattered  and  many  fled  from  the  country. 

All  this  time  the  Portuguese  merchants  were  not  inter- 
fered with,  though  captains  of  vessels  were  repeatedly 
notified  that  they  must  bring  in  no  more  missionaries. 
But  as  they  still  continued  to  smuggle  in  priests,  a  law 
was  made  by  which  they  could  trade  only  in  the  small 
island  of  Deshima  (day-shee-mah),  in  the  harbor  of 
Nagasaki  (nang-ah-sah-kee).  If  you  look  on  your  map 
you  will  see  that  this  famous  old  city  is  on  the  west 
coast  of  Kiushiu.  It  has  a  beautiful  harbor. 

A  Portuguese  vessel  from  Japan,  bound  for  Lisbon, 
was  captured  by  the  Dutch  near  the  Cape  of  Good 
Hope,  and  among  the  papers  of  this  ship  was  found  a 
letter  from  a  Japanese  Christian,  known  to  Europeans 
by  the  name  of  Captain  Moro  (moh-roh).  This  letter 
was  addressed  to  the  king  of  Portugal.  It  contained 
a  request  for  soldiers  and  ships,  which  had  been  prom- 
ised from  Portugal,  with  the  aid  of  which  the  captain 
and  his  friends  hoped  to  overturn  the  empire  and  form 


a  new  Christian  government.  The  letter  contained  also 
the  names  of  several  daimio  who  had  agreed  to  join 
the  conspiracy.  The  Dutch  lost  no  time  in  delivering 
this  letter  to  the  Japanese  authorities.  Moro  was 
arrested,  and  although  he  denied  his  guilt,  his  signature 
and  private  seal  were  sufficient  to  convict  him.  He 
was  burned  alive  at  the  stake,  and  in  the  course  of 
that  year,  1637,  a  law  was  passed  that  the  whole  race 
of  the  Portuguese,  with  their  mothers,  nurses,  and  all 
their  belongings,  should  be  banished  forever.  And  the 
same  law  contained  the  clauses  which  secluded  Japan 
from  the  world  until  Perry  appeared  in  Yedo  Bay. 

This  law  says  :  "  No  Japanese  ship  or  boat,  or  any 
native  of  Japan,  shall  henceforth  presume  to  quit  the 
country,  under  pain  of  forfeiture  and  death ;  any  Japa- 
nese returning  from  a  foreign  country  shall  be  put  to 
death ;  no  nobleman  or  samurai  shall  be  suffered  to 
purchase  anything  of  a  foreigner ;  any  person  pre- 
suming to  bring  a  letter  from  abroad,  or  to  return  to 
Japan  after  he  has  been  banished,  shall  die,  with  all  his 
family,  and  whosoever  presumes  to  intercede  for  such 
offenders  shall  be  put  to  death,"  etc.  It  also  contained 
provisions  against  the  Christian  religion  and  the  con- 
verts, and  from  that  year  the  persecution  of  the  Chris- 
tians continued  relentlessly. 

Several  Portuguese  left  at  once ;  a  few  remained, 
hoping  that  the  affair  would  pass  over,  but  the  regent, 
having  determined  that  they  should  go,  declared  them 
enemies  of  Japan.  They  were  compelled  to  leave,  and 
their  profitable  trade  passed  into  the  hands  of  the 
Dutch. 


io8 

The  native  Christians,  cruelly  persecuted  and  op- 
pressed, entered  into  open  rebellion,  and  this,  it 
appears,  was  what  the  government  desired.  They 
defended  themselves  bravely  at  Shimabara  (shee-mah- 
bah-rah),  and  the  government  then  appealed  to  the 
Dutch  for  aid. 

The  chief  of  the  factory,  as  the  trading  office  was 
called,  upon  receiving  the  regent's  orders,  left  for  the 
doomed  town,  and  after  having  planted  a  battery, 
assaulted  it  from  the  shore  and  from  his  ship.  The 
Christian  Japanese  made  a  strong  defense,  and  the 
town  was  blockaded  for  nearly  two  months  before  it 
was  taken  ;  then  men,  women,  and  children  were 
slaughtered.  The  Dutch  had  received  permission  to 
withdraw  before  this  final  act. 

It  is  stated  in  Japanese  books  that  over  40,000  men 
were  killed  on  both  sides  before  famine  rendered  the 
town  defenseless,  and  now  the  work  of  stamping  out 
Christianity  was  continued  with  the  greatest  cruelty. 
A  small  band,  secretly  continuing  the  service,  escaped 
the  strict  search.  They  were  discovered  after  the  revo- 
lution of  1867,  and  scattered  to  various  parts  of  Japan, 
but  upon  the  request  of  the  British  minister,  they  were 
permitted  to  return  home.  Shortly  after  this,  the  edicts 
against  Christianity  were  removed,  and  now  a  Japanese 
may  believe  what  he  pleases,  provided  that  he  does  not 
doubt  the  divinity  of  the  emperor  and  his  ancestors. 


RESTRICTIONS    OF   THE    DUTCH 

IT  was  partly  because  the  Dutch  imported  goods  which 
were  needed  by  the  Japanese,  but  also  because 
lyeyasu  saw  the  necessity  of  knowing  what  was  pass- 
ing in  the  world,  that  they  were  permitted  to  dwell  and 
trade  in  Japan,  under  very  severe  restrictions.  The 
island  of  Deshima,  or  Outward  Island,  in  Nagasaki 
harbor,  was  assigned  to  them  as  a  residence  and  trading 
post,  but  it  was  little  better  than  a  prison.  A  small 
stone  bridge  connected  the  town  with  the  island.  This 
bridge  was  closed  by  a  gate,  and  near  it  was  a  guard- 
house occupied  by  policemen  and  soldiers,  who  prevented 
the  Dutch  from  leaving  the  island  without  express  per- 
mission, and  the  Japanese  from  entering  unless  they 
were  officially  employed.  All  those  who  entered  or 
left  were  closely  searched.  No  foreign  servants  were 
allowed,  and  the  natives  could  serve  their  foreign 
masters  only  between  sunrise  and  sunset,  as  they  were 
not  allowed  to  pass  the  night  on  the  island. 

The  Dutch  lived  in  houses  built  by  some  enterprising 
Nagasaki  people,  who  rented  them  at  a  very  high 
price.  They  were  allowed  to  furnish  them  as  they 
pleased,  and  to  obtain  their  furniture  from  Batavia  or 
have  it  made  by  Japanese  workmen.  They  were  not 
109 


110 

permitted  to  handle  their  own  money,  probably  from 
fear  that  they  might  bribe  the  officers ;  but  the  govern- 
ment appointed  a  paymaster  who  settled  all  the  bills, 
and  when  a  ship  arrived,  the  cargo  was  taken  by 
Japanese  agents  who  sold  it,  and  with  the  money  thus 
received,  settled  the  account  of  the  paymaster,  and  pur- 
chased the  goods  which  the  general  agent  desired  to 
send  back. 

The  number  of  Hollanders  allowed  to  reside  on 
Deshima  was  eleven  :  a  general  agent,  who  was  held 
responsible  for  the  good  behavior  of  the  other  inmates ; 
a  warehouse  master,  who  attended  to  the  storing  and 
delivery  of  the  goods ;  a  secretary  or  bookkeeper ;  a 
physician  ;  five  clerks  ;  and  two  warehousemen.  Wives 
or  daughters  were  under  no  circumstances  permitted  to 
land  or  reside  on  the  island. 

The  paymaster,  interpreters,  servants,  and  all  those 
connected  with  the  foreigners  were  provided  with  a 
ticket  which  they  were  obliged  to  show  to  the  guard 
whenever  they  passed  through  the  gate.  These  per- 
sons, before  they  entered  upon  their  duty  were  com- 
pelled to  sign,  with  their  own  blood,  an  oath  promising 
to  enter  into  no  friendship  with  the  Dutch ;  to  give 
them  no  information  whatever  about  the  history,  re- 
ligion, laws,  manners,  or  language  of  Japan.  Except 
for  this  the  Hollanders  would  have  been  glad  to  while 
away  the  time  by  studying  the  customs  and  manners  of 
the  country ;  but  the  scant  information  which  they 
managed  to  extract,  now  and  then,  by  bribery,  was  not 
very  reliable. 

At  first  the  general  agent  was  required  to  go  to  Yedo 


Ill 

once  a  year  to  pay  his  respects  to  the  regent,  and  to 
offer  the  presents  agreed  upon  when  the  Dutch  were 
permitted  to  reside  in  Japan.  But  the  expense  of  the 
journey  was  so  great  that  these  presents  were  soon  sent 
through  Japanese,  and  the  general  agent  himself  went 
only  once  in  four  years.  These  journeys  were  always 
begun  in  February,  that  month  with  March,  April,  and 
May  being  the  most  pleasant  for  traveling.  It  took  a 
long  time  to  make  the  necessary  preparations,  for  the 
Japanese  are  very  fond  of  ceremonies,  and  the  omission 
of  even  one  would  have  been  deemed  a  serious  insult. 

The  party  of  Hollanders  going  to  the  capital  usually 
consisted  of  the  general  agent,  his  secretary,  and  the 
physician,  together  with  a  large  number  of  native 
officials  and  servants.  Most  of  the  journey  was  made 
on  land,  and  each  of  the  Hollanders,  as  well  as  each  of 
the  native  officials,  was  carried  in  a  norimono  (noh-ree'- 
moh-noh),  a  sort  of  sedan  chair,  with  windows  closed 
with  bamboo  curtains  and  a  roof  like  that  of  a  house. 
All  these  norimono  required  bearers.  Besides  these 
there  were  the  carriers  of  the  presents,  the  boxes  con- 
taining clothing,  cooking  apparatus,  chairs,  etc.,  and  the 
numerous  cooks  and  body  servants  of  the  Dutch  and  the 
officials.  Altogether  there  were  not  less  than  two  hun- 
dred persons,  and  although  they  were  frequently  enter- 
tained by  the  daimio  through  whose  territories  they 
passed,  the  expense  connected  with  such  a  trip  was  very 
heavy. 

Because  it  will  convey  to  you  a  good  idea  of  what 
Japan  was  under  the  government  of  lyeyasu  and  his 
successors,  I  shall  give  you  an  account  of  such  a  journey 


112 

made 'by  Dr.  von  Siebold,  who  lived  in  Deshima  as 
physician  of  the  trading  post,  and  who  succeeded  in 
learning  much  concerning  Japan. 

During  the  journey  across  the  island  of  Kiushiu,  the 
Dutch  were  entertained  by  the  various  daimio.  As 
they  approached  the  territory  of  one  of  these  lords,  they 
were  met  by  a  detachment  of  samurai  who  welcomed 
them  in  name  of  the  daimio  and  escorted  them  through 
his  domain.  They  left  their  norimono  at  Kokura  (koh- 
koo-rah)  to  wait  for  their  return,  and  here  they  went  on 
board  a  vessel  prepared  for  them.  They  landed  every 
night  on  one  of  the  thousand  islands  with  which  the 
Inland  Sea  is  dotted,  and  if  the  wind  was  unfavorable, 
they  were  sometimes  detained  several  days.  But  they 
were  obliged  to  reach  Yedo  within  a  given  time,  al- 
though a  liberal  allowance  was  made  for  unavoidable 
delays.  The  doctor  found  that  several  guidebooks 
existed  in  which  the  distances,  charges  at  inns,  price  of 
bearers  and  of  ferries,  were  accurately  given. 

The  roads  in  Japan  are  uniformly  good,  and  are  kept 
scrupulously  clean ;  frequently  they  are  bordered  with 
trees,  and  the  views  are  everywhere  beautiful.  One  of 
the  sights  which  struck  the  travelers  was  the  number 
of  stalls  where  straw  shoes  for  horses  and  oxen  are 
sold.  The  people  counted  the  distances  by  the  number 
of  horseshoes  that  were  required.  They  do  this  still 
in  the  interior  where  there  are  as  yet  no  railroads. 
The  Dutch  were  much  interested,  too,  in  the  farmyards 
which  they  passed  on  their  way.  At  one  place,  Dr.  von 
Siebold  visited  a  Buddhist  temple,  where  he  found  no 
idols  excepting  Buddha,  and  the  priests  there  were 


STO.   OF   JAPAN  — 8 


114 

allowed  to  eat  meat.  At  another  place  he  found  a  cam- 
phor tree  that  had  been  mentioned  by  another  traveler 
from  Deshima  in  1691.  He  measured  it  and  found  it 
about  fifty  feet  in  circumference.  It  was  still  standing 
in  1826,  and  was  green  and  healthy. 

When  they  passed  through  the  territory  of  the 
daimio  of  Hizen  (hee-zen),  the  Hollanders  were  invited 
to  bathe  in  the  daimio's  own  bath,  and  found  it  exceed- 
ingly clean  ;  the  water,  although  clear  as  crystal,  was 
made  to  run  through  fine  sieves,  so  that  not  a  particle  of 
dirt  could  pass  in.  Another  daimio  offered  them  the 
use  of  his  own  private  rooms  in  his  country  seat.  From 
such  courtesies  received  everywhere  along  the  road  it 
was  evident  that  the  Japanese  did  not  object  to  having 
foreigners  live  in  their  country. 

When  they  left  Kiushiu,  they  sent  the  heavy  baggage 
ahead  to  rejoin  them  when  they  should  land  at  the  main 
island  of  Hondo.  They  had  a  prosperous  voyage  across, 
though  on  the  previous  journey,  the  party  had  been  de- 
tained a  long  time  by  storms  and  head  winds.  The 
Japanese  sailors,  to  induce  the  sea  god  to  give  them 
favorable  weather,  threw  overboard  a  small  barrel  of 
sake  (sah-kay) — that  is,  brandy  made  from  rice  —  and 
a  number  of  copper  coins.  The  money  sank,  but  the 
barrel  floated  and  was  found  by  some  poor  fishermen. 
What  do  you  think  these  people  did  with  it?  Instead 
of  keeping  it  for  themselves,  or  selling  it,  they  carried  it 
to  a  temple,  for  they  knew  that  it  was  intended  for  a 
god,  and  not  for  them. 

When  the  party  landed  in  Hondo,  they  found  other 
norimono  waiting  for  them,  and  continued  their  journey 


overland.  They  rested  for  a  day  or  two  at  Osaka,  but 
were  not  allowed  to  go  out  to  see  anything.  Here,  as 
in  every  city  where  they  stopped,  they  were  secretly 
visited  by  Japanese  who  wanted  to  learn  something, 
the  greatest  number  of  these  visitors  being  physicians 
or  their  patients.  Here,  too,  the  general  agent  ordered 
such  goods  as  were  to  be  manufactured  before  his  return. 

It  took  a  day  and  a  half  to  cover  the  distance  between 
Osaka  and  Kyoto ;  now  it  is  done  by  railroad  in  less 
than  one  hour.  In  Kyoto  the  travelers  rested  again,  and 
were  watched  more  closely  than  at  any  other  place. 
Still  they  received  a  very  large  number  of  secret  visit- 
ors, and  here  the  doctor  must  have  found  out  that  the 
Tenno  was  the  real  ruler  of  Japan. 

And  now  they  entered  upon  the  longest  part  of 
their  overland  journey,  where  they  frequently  met  some 
of  the  daimio,  returning  from  Yedo  with  a  numerous 
band  of  samurai.  But  there  was  no  disorder,  nor  were 
the  strangers  ever  insulted ;  on  the  contrary,  good  will 
and  courtesy  were  shown  everywhere. 

The  road  they  were  now  traveling,  being  used  by 
all  the  daimio  of  the  south,  was  strongly  guarded, 
lyeyasu  and  his  successors  had  made  a  law  by  which 
all  the  daimio  of  the  empire  were  compelled  to  dwell 
half  the  time  in  Yedo,  and  when  they  were  absent  in 
their  territory,  their  wives  and  children  were  held  as 
hostages  in  the  regent's  capital.  No  one  could  pass 
the  two  guard  posts  on  the  road  without  a  special  pass- 
port, and  the  officers  were  exceedingly  strict  in  guard- 
ing against  the  smuggling  through  of  women,  probably 
from  fear  that  the  wife  of  some  powerful  daimio  might 


leave  the  capital  in  secret.  Unless  personally  known 
to  the  guard,  travelers  had  to  submit  to  a  strict  scru- 
tiny, so  that  no  woman  could  pass  in  man's  clothing. 
For  if  a  female  should  pass  through  without  a  special 
permit,  the  guard  knew  that  death  would  be  his  fate. 

Here  is  an  instance  showing  how  strictly  this  law 
was  observed,  and  how  the  guard  who  was  responsible 
escaped  detection :  — 

A  poor  business  man  of  Yedo  was  obliged  to  go  to  a 
town  on  this  road.  He  was  a  widower  with  two  chil- 
dren, a  boy  and  a  girl,  and  he  could  not  afford  to  pay  for 
their  board  during  his  absence;  so  he  was  compelled 
to  take  them  with  him.  He  had  not  enough  influence 
to  obtain  a  passport  for  his  daughter,  so  he  dressed  her 
as  a  boy,  and  succeeded  in  passing  the  guard  in  the 
Hakone  Mountains.  But  a  little  further  on,  he  was 
overtaken  by  a  man  who  knew  him  and  his  family,  and 
who,  seeing  the  girl  in  boy's  clothing,  had  no  difficulty 
in  understanding  the  situation.  He  asked  the  father 
for  money,  and  the  latter  gave  him  as  much  as  he  could 
spare.  The  man,  however,  demanded  more,  and  when 
the  father  refused,  a  quarrel  ensued.  The  man  there- 
upon went  back  to  the  guardhouse  to  betray  the  father. 

The  guards  were  anything  but  pleased  at  the  man's 
report.  If  it  turned  out  to  be  true,  and  the  facts 
were  published,  they  would  be  put  to  death.  But 
the  officer  in  charge  saw  a  way  out  of  the  danger. 
He  sent  a  messenger  with  a  little  boy,  to  overtake  the 
travelers.  They  were  found  at  a  tea  house,  taking  some 
refreshments,  and  the  messenger  took  the  father  aside, 
and  told  him  what  had  happened.  "Now,"  said  he, 


"  some  officers  are  going  to  follow  you  to  inspect  the 
children ;  if  they  find  the  girl,  you  will  all  be  punished. 
But  you  must  hide  your  daughter  and  take  this  little 
boy ;  and  when  the  officers  see  that  both  children  are 
boys,  they  will  let  you  go,  and  you  can  travel  on  with 
your  own  children.  If  the  man  who  informed  upon 
you  says  anything,  draw  your  sword  and  kill  him.  The 
officers  will  not  interfere." 

In  the  meanwhile  the  chief  officer  of  the  guard  had 
detailed  some  of  his  men  to  go  with  the  informer  to 
overtake  the  children,  but  these  men  were  privately  in- 
structed not  to  hurry,  so  that  the  messenger  might  have 
time  to  execute  his  errand.  When  they  arrived,  they 
surrounded  the  house  and  seized  the  two  children. 
They  appeared  well  pleased  to  find  that  they  were 
both  boys.  The  informer,  however,  insisted  that  there 
was  some  trickery  in  this,  and  the  father,  drawing  his 
sword,  cut  off  the  man's  head ;  then  the  father,  ex- 
changing the  boy  for  his  daughter,  proceeded  safely 
on  his  way. 


A  VISIT   TO    THE    REGENT 

THE  travelers  at  last  approached  Yedo  forty-eight 
days  after  leaving  Deshima  —  a  journey  which 
is  now  made  by  steamer  in  two  and  a  half  days.  As 
the  party  came  near  the  gates  of  the  city,  they  were 
met  by  a  detachment  of  samurai  who  were  to  act  as 
escort.  The  Hollanders  crossed  the  city  and  entered 
the  precincts  of  the  castle,  where  they  were  lodged 
in  a  house  especially  prepared  for  them.  Here,  in  the 
capital,  they  were  held  in  even  more  rigid  seclusion 
than  in  Nagasaki ;  but  here,  also,  they  were  visited  by 
many  prominent  Japanese,  among  whom  was  the  daimio 
of  Mito  (mee-toh),  the  brother  of  the  regent.  Uniform 
kindness  was  shown  to  them.  A  great  fire  procured 
for  them  more  than  usual  liberty.  As  these  fires  are 
very  common  in  Japan,  even  to-day,  I  shall  give  the 
description  in  the  words  of  one  of  the  travelers  :  — 

"  At  ten  o'clock  in  the  morning  of  the  twenty-second 
of  April,  we  heard  that  a  fire  had  broken  out  in  the  town, 
at  the  distance  of  about  two  leagues  from  our  quarters. 
We  took  no  heed  of  the  news,  so  common  are  fires  at 
Yedo  —  a  fine  night  never  passing  without  one.  As  they 
are  less  frequent  during  rain,  a  lowering  evening  is  a  sub- 
ject for  mutual  congratulation  to  the  people  in  Yedo. 
118 


The  flames  came  nearer  and  nearer;  and  at  about 
three  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  a  high  wind  driving  the 
sparks  toward  our  neighborhood,  four  different  houses 


Daimio  at  home 


around  were  soon  in  flames.  Two  hours  before  this 
occurred,  we  had  been  sufficiently  alarmed  to  begin 
packing ;  so  that  now,  when  the  danger  had  become 
imminent,  we  were  prepared  to  make  our  escape. 


I2O 

"  On  coming  into  the  street,  we  saw  everything  blaz- 
ing about  us.  To  run  with  the  flames  before  the  wind 
appeared  very  dangerous ;  so,  taking  an  oblique  direc- 
tion, we  ran  through  a  street  that  was  already  burning, 
and  thus  reached  an  open  field  beyond  the  conflagra- 
tion. The  place  was  set  thick  with  the  flags  of  princes 
(daimio),  whose  palaces  were  already  consumed,  and 
who  had  escaped  thither  with  their  wives  and  children. 
We  followed  their  example,  and  appropriated  a  spot  to 
ourselves  by  setting  up  a  small  Dutch  flag  used  in 
crossing  rivers.  We  had  now  a  full  view  of  the  fire, 
and  never  did  I  see  anything  so  terrible.  The  horrors 
of  this  sea  of  flame  were  enhanced  by  the  heartrending 
cries  and  lamentations  of  fleeing  women  and  children. 

"  Here  we  were  for  the  moment  safe,  but  had  no 
home.  The  governor  of  Nagasaki,  then  resident  at 
Yedo,  had  been  dismissed ;  and  the  house  of  his  suc- 
cessor, appointed  that  very  day,  was  already  in  ashes. 
We  had  quarters  assigned  to  us  in  the  house  of  the 
other  governor,  —  then  resident  at  Nagasaki,  —  which 
stands  quite  at  the  other  side  of  the  town.  Thither  we 
were  led  at  half  past  ten  in  the  evening,  and  were  re- 
ceived and  all  our  wants  supplied  in  the  most  friendly 
manner." 

The  next  day  the  travelers  received  a  visit  from  their 
former  host.  "  He  told  us  that  thirty-seven  palaces  of 
princes  (daimio)  had  been  destroyed,  and  that  about 
twelve  hundred  persons  (including  a  little  daughter  of 
the  daimio  of  Awa  (ah-wah)  were  either  burned  to  death 
or  drowned.  This  last  misfortune  was  caused  by  the 
breaking  down  of  the  celebrated  bridge  Nihon  bashi 


121 

(nee-hon  bash-ee),  under  the  weight  of  the  flying  mul- 
titude. Those  in  the  rear,  unconscious  of  the  accident, 
and  wild  to  escape  the  flames,  drove  those  in  front 
forward  into  the  water." 

And  now  I  shall  give  you  an  account  of  the  visit 
paid  by  the  Hollanders  to  the  regent.  As  the  same 
ceremonies  were  always  observed,  I  shall  give  the 
account  of  one  of  the  general  agents.  He  says:  — 

"  A  sort  of  full  dress  is  ordered  for  the  occasion.  That 
of  the  general  agent  is  composed  of  velvet ;  the  doctor's 
and  the  secretary's  are  of  cloth  trimmed  with  gold  or 
silver  lace,  or  embroidered  with  gold  or  silver.  All 
three  wear  cloaks,  that  of  the  general  agent  being  of 
velvet,  the  others  of  black  satin ;  but  these  are  not  put 
on  till  the  men  reach  the  interior  of  the  palace.  The 
general  agent  alone  enjoys  the  privilege  of  having  his 
sword  borne  behind  him  in  a  black  velvet  bag,  no  other 
foreigner  in  Japan  being  suffered  even  to  retain  his  side 
arms. 

"  On  the  appointed  day,  the  28th  of  the  third  Japa- 
nese month  (which  then  corresponded  to  the  third  of 
May),  we  repaired  in  state  to  the  palace,  at  six  o'clock 
in  the  morning,  that  we  might  be  there  before  the 
arrival  of  the  state  councilors.  We  were  carried  in 
our  norimonos  into  the  castle,  and  to  the  gate  of 
the  palace,  where  even  princes  are  obliged  to  alight, 
except  three,  who,  being  princes  of  the  blood,  are 
brought  as  far  as  the  gate,  opposite  to  the  guard  of 
a  hundred  men.  To  this  guard  we  proceeded  on  foot, 
and  there  awaited  the  coming  of  the  councilors  of 
state.  We  were  desired  to  sit  on  benches  covered  with 


122 

red  hangings,  and  were  offered  tea  and  the  materials 
for  smoking.  Here  we  saw  the  governor  of  Nagasaki, 
and  one  of  the  chief  spies  or  general  commissioners 
for  strangers,  who,  after  congratulating  us  upon  our 
prospect  of  immediate  happiness  in  approaching  the 
emperor  (regent),  left  for  the  palace. 

"  Then  came  the  commandant  of  the  guard  to  visit 
the  general  agent  —  and  here  it  is  necessary  to  stand 
rigidly  upon  one's  rank.  The  commandant  required 
that  I  should  come  down  from  the  inner  room,  which 
is  held  the  most  honorable,  into  the  first  or  outer  room, 
because  his  inferior  rank  did  not  authorize  him  to  enter 
the  inner  room.  I,  on  my  side,  asserted  the  impossi- 
bility of  leaving  the  upper  place  assigned  me.  The 
commandant  then  advanced ;  but  he  paused  at  the  dis- 
tance of  two  mats  (about  twelve  feet),  and  thence 
saluted  me.  By  thus  resolutely  maintaining  my  place 
(which  must  always  be  done  in  Japan  when  one  is 
right),  I  insured  the  observance  of  old  customs,  the 
restoration  of  which  —  if  through  good  nature  one  ever 
gives  way  —  is  exceedingly  difficult. 

"  When  all  the  state  councilors  had  arrived,  we  were 
invited  to  cross  the  other  courts  and  enter  the  palace, 
where  we  were  received  by  persons  who,  but  for  their 
shaven  heads,  might  be  compared  to  European  pages. 
They  conducted  us  to  a  waiting  room,  where  we  sat 
down  on  the  floor,  in  a  reclining  posture,  and  covered 
our  feet  with  our  cloaks  —  to  show  one's  feet  being  con- 
sidered in  Japan  an  act  of  gross  rudeness.  After  re- 
maining here  some  time,  the  governor  of  Nagasaki  and 
the  commissioner  for  foreigners  led  me  into  the  ante- 


123 

room,  where  I  was  desired  to  perfect  myself  in  the 
part  I  had  to  act,  as  the  governor  would  pay  the  pen- 
alty of  any  imperfection.  I  was  then  led  back  to  the 
waiting  hall.  Not  long  afterwards  I  accompanied  the 
governor  to  the  reception  hall,  from  which  we  saw 
several  grandees  returning. 

"  I  was  led  along  a  wooden  corridor  to  the  hall  of  a 
hundred  mats,  so  named  from  its  being  carpeted  with 
a  hundred  mats,  each  six  feet  by  three.  They  are 
made  of  straw,  are  about  two  inches  thick,  and  over 
them  are  laid  others  of  finer  texture,  ornamentally  bor- 
dered ;  such  mats  are  used  in  Japan  to  cover  every 
handsome  sitting  room.  There  we  left  the  chief  inter- 
preter, and,  with  the  governor  of  Nagasaki,  I  was  now 
ushered  into  the  audience  hall,  where  I  saw  the  presents 
arranged  on  my  left  hand.  Here  we  found  the  emperor 
(so  the  Dutch  considered  the  regent),  whose  dress  dif- 
fered in  no  respect  from  that  of  his  subjects.  I  paid 
my  compliments  in  the  precise  form  in  which  the 
princes  of  the  realm  pay  theirs,  while  one  of  the  state 
councilors  announced  me  by  the  shout  of  Capitan  Ho- 
randa  !  (Holland  Chief).  Hereupon  the  governor  of 
Nagasaki,  who  stood  a  step  or  two  behind  me,  pulled 
me  by  the  cloak  in  token  that  the  audience  was  over. 
The  whole  ceremony  does  not  occupy  one  minute." 

It  is  entirely  true  that  the  general  agents  paid  their 
respects  in  the  same  manner  as  the  daimio  paid  theirs, 
and  as  every  Japanese  salutes  his  equal  or  his  superior 
in  rank.  Still  it  was  somewhat  humiliating  to  men  of 
their  race.  Here  is  a  more  detailed  description  of  the 
ceremony,  given  by  a  most  trustworthy  eyewitness :  — 


I24 

"  As  soon,"  he  says,  "  as  the  general  agent  entered 
the  hall  of  audience,  they  cried  out  '  Horanda  Capitan,' 
which  was  the  signal  for  him  to  draw  near  and  make 
his  obeisances.  Accordingly,  he  crawled  on  his  hands 
and  knees  to  a  place  shown  him,  between  the  presents 
ranged  in  due  order  on  one  side,  and  the  place  where 
the  emperor  (regent)  sat  on  the  other ;  and  there,  kneel- 
ing, he  bowed  his  forehead  quite  down  to  the  ground, 
and  so  crawled  backward  like  a  crab,  without  uttering 
a  single  word.  So  mean  and  short  a  thing  is  the  audi- 
ence we  have  of  this  mighty  monarch." 


A   SHREWD   JUDGE 

A  MONEY  LENDER  of  Osaka  at  one  time  missed 
a  sum  of  money  amounting  to  over  three  thousand 
dollars.  Aghast  at  this  discovery,  and  almost  in  de- 
spair at  his  great  loss,  he  tried  to  remember  the  names 
of  his  customers  and  visitors  since  he  had  counted  his 
hoard,  but  could  attach  suspicion  to  no  one.  He  now 
began  to  watch  his  servants  and  at  last  felt  convinced 
that  one  of  them,  if  not  the  actual  thief,  was  aware  of 
what  had  become  of  his  gold.  This  servant,  Tsuji, 
(tsoo-jee)  was  taken  by  the  money  lender  into  his  pri- 
vate room,  and  accused  of  the  theft,  which,  however, 
he  emphatically  denied.  His  master  tried  to  obtain  a 
clue  to  the  whereabouts  of  the  lost  money,  first  by 
promises  of  pardon  and  even  of  reward,  and  when  these 
proved  of  no  avail,  by  threats  of  speedy  punishment. 
But  it  was  all  in  vain.  Tsuji  protested  that  he  was 
innocent,  and  had  no  knowledge  whatever  of  his  master's 
gold.  The  money  lender  then  had  him  arrested  for  the 
theft. 

Osaka,  the  second  city  of  the  empire  in  population, 
is  now  and  has  been  for  many  centuries  the  wealthiest 
city  of  Japan.  It  is  situated  in  the  south-central  part 
of  the  island  of  Hondo,  accessible  to  junks,  which,  on 


126 


account  of  the  many  canals  intersecting  the  city,  can 
load  and  unload  in  almost  any  quarter.  Being  close 
to  the  Inland  Sea,  and  only  a  short  distance  from 


A  judge  in  court 

Kiushiu,  and  Shikoku,  it  almost  controls  the  trade  of 
these  three  islands.  To  protect  the  commercial  inter- 
ests of  its  enterprising  merchants,  the  regents  in  Yedo 


127 

took  care  to  send  able  and  good  men  as  governors,  who 
were  at  the  same  time  judges  in  civil  and  criminal 
cases.  At  the  time  we  are  speaking  of,  the  governor 
judge  was  Matsura  (mah-tsoo-rah),  a  good,  able,  and 
shrewd  man. 

Tsuji  was  brought  before  this  judge  and  examined 
by  him.  After  hearing  all  the  circumstances,  the  judge 
was  inclined  to  believe  in  the  man's  guilt,  but  in  answer 
to  the  questions  put  to  him,  the  servant  replied  simply : 
"  I  do  not  know  !  "  or  "  I  did  not  do  it !  "  At  last  the 
judge  threatened  to  have  him  tortured,  but  Tsuji  said : 
"  You  may  do  your  worst ;  but  no  amount  of  torture 
will  make  me  confess  a  crime  of  which  I  am  not  guilty." 
The  quiet,  firm  way  in  which  the  prisoner  uttered  these 
words  and  his  fearless  bearing  had  their  effect  upon  the 
judge.  Nevertheless  he  gave  a  signal,  and  Tsuji  was 
led  to  prison. 

The  governor  now  sent  for  the  money  lender  and  his 
other  servants,  and  examined  one  after  the  other. 
Each  one  declared  that  no  one  but  Tsuji  could  have 
stolen  the  money.  But  when  asked  for  proofs,  they 
were  obliged  to  confess  that  they  had  none. 

The  money  lender  was  very  angry  with  his  former 
servant,  and  implored  the  judge  to  have  him  put  to 
death.  Matsura  sat  for  some  time  in  deep  thought. 
At  last  he  seemed  to  make  up  his  mind.  He  ordered 
the  other  servants  to  be  brought  before  him  and  asked 
master  and  servants  if  they  were  ready  to  declare  in 
writing  and  over  their  hand  and  seal  that  Tsuji  was 
guilty  of  the  theft,  and  demand  his  execution.  All 
agreed  to  this.  "Very  well,"  said  the  judge,  "  let  each 


128 

of  you  sign  this !  "     And  he  gave  them  a  pap^r  on 
which  was  written  :  — 

"Tsuji,  servant  of  our  master,  has  robbed  him  of  five  thousand 
dollars.  This  we  attest  hereby,  and  demand  that  he  be  punished 
with  death,  as  a  warning  to  others.  We,  the  kinsmen  and  servants 
of  our  master,  affix  to  this  our  signatures  and  seals." 

After  they  had  signed  this  paper  and  put  their  seals 
to  it,  they  returned  it  to  the  judge,  who  said :  "  This 
paper  relieves  me  of  all  responsibility.  Is  it  your  desire 
that  Tsuji  be  put  to  death  ? "  "  It  is,"  they  replied. 
"So  be  it!"  said  Matsura.  The  money  lender  then 
withdrew  with  his  servants,  after  thanking  the  judge 
for  complying  with  his  request. 

Not  long  afterwards,  a  robber  was  arrested  in  the  act 
of  stealing,  and  brought  before  Judge  Matsura,  who 
ordered  him  to  be  put  to  torture.  This  man  was  a 
daring  criminal  and  he  confessed  stealing  the  money 
lender's  hoard,  besides  many  other  crimes.  There 
was  no  doubt  of  his  guilt,  since  he  entered  into  details 
of  how  he  had  secured  and  spent  this  money.  As  soon 
as  this  confession  had  been  written  down  and  signed, 
Matsura  sent  for  the  money  lender  and  his  servants, 
and,  addressing  the  former,  said  sternly :  — 

"  You  accused  Tsuji  of  stealing,  without  proof  of  his 
guilt.  You  demanded  the  death  of  an  innocent  man, 
and  I,  who  should  have  insisted  upon  proofs  before 
granting  your  request,  condemned  him.  The  dead  can- 
not be  brought  back,  but  justice  can  and  must  be  done. 
You,  your  wife,  kindred,  and  servants,  shall  die.  And 
I,  who  am  also  guilty,  will  commit  hara-kiri." 


129 

The  money  lender  and  his  servants,  knowing  the 
character  of  the  judge,  felt  that  there  was  no  escape. 
They  were  overwhelmed  with  despair,  wrung  their 
hands,  wept,  and  begged  for  mercy.  But  the  judge 
sternly  refused  to  listen  to  their  piteous  cries.  The 
officers  of  the  court  also  interceded  with  the  judge  for 
his  own  life,  telling  him  that  he  had  done  no  wrong  by 
pronouncing  sentence  after  receiving  the  written  state- 
ment of  the  plaintiff.  But  the  judge  replied  only : 
"  No,  if  these  men  are  guilty,  I  cannot  be  innocent." 

When  all  were  convinced  that  nothing  could  move  the 
judge,  he  spoke  again  to  the  despairing  money  lender: 

"  You  know  now  how  hard  it  is  to  die,  but  you  had 
no  pity  when  you  demanded  the  blood  of  a  man  who 
had  served  you  honestly  and  well.  I  should  not  be 
worthy  of  the  trust  placed  in  me  if  I  had  listened  to 
your  demand,  and  had  condemned  the  prisoner  without 
convincing  proof.  Tsuji  is  alive,  and  therefore  your 
life  shall  be  spared.  But  for  the  long  imprisonment  he 
has  undergone,  and  the  agony  and  suspense  which  he 
has  suffered,  you  shall  compensate  him.  My  judgment 
is  that  you  shall  pay  him  the  amount  you  accused  him 
of  stealing ;  and  that  it  be  made  known  in  public  that 
he  is  innocent  of  all  crime." 

The  money  lender,  overjoyed  at  having  his  own  life 
saved,  gladly  agreed  to  this.  Tsuji  was  brought  into 
court  and  informed  that  his  innocence  was  established 
and  that  he  would  be  a  rich  man.  Japanese  writers 
tell  this  story  with  pride,  as  showing  that,  even  if  they 
had  no  written  laws,  their  judges  were  quite  able  to  see 
that  justice  was  done. 

STO.  OF  JAPAN  — 9 


TOSA'S   REVENGE 

IYEYASU  had  given  his  granddaughter  in  marriage 
to  Hideyori,  the  son  and  heir  of  his  late  chief  and 
brother-in-law  Hideyoshi,  but  this  did  not  prevent  him 
from  making  himself  regent.  Many  of  the  great  daimio 
saw  that  they  would  have  even  less  power  under  the  new 
regent  than  they  had  possessed  under  the  "  Lord  of  the 
Golden  Water  Gourds,"  and  so  they  conspired  against 
lyeyasu  under  pretense  of  defending  Hideyori's  rights. 
Among  these  lords  was  the  daimio  of  Tosa  (toh-sah). 
He  followed  the  fortunes  of  lyeyasu's  grandson,  and 
when  his  party  was  defeated,  fell  into  the  hands  of  the 
victor.  lyeyasu  had  him  put  in  prison,  and  treated  him 
as  a  common  criminal.  But  Japanese  of  the  warrior 
class  are  not  easily  daunted,  and  Tosa  persisted  in 
upbraiding  his  conqueror  until  lyeyasu  ordered  his 
hands  cut  off,  which  was  the  greatest  disgrace  he  could 
inflict  upon  him.  So  far  from  humbling  Tosa,  this  only 
served  to  exasperate  him ;  and  at  last  he  was  beheaded 
by  order  of  the  angry  regent,  and  his  estate  was  con- 
fiscated. 

Tosa  left  a  son,  nine  years  old.     Young  as  he  was, 
this  child  understood  the  disgrace  which  his  father  had 
suffered,  and  even  at  that  early  age,  thought  of  nothing 
130 


but  revenge.  But  lyeyasu  had  taken  proper  precau- 
tion, and  he,  and  his  heirs  after  him,  were  too  firmly 
established  and  too  powerful  to  be  easily  disturbed. 


Practicing  with  the  bow  and  arrow 

Years  passed  by,  the  boy  grew  to  manhood,  and  was 
noted  for  his  skill  and  strength  in  arms.  He  appeared 
to  have  completely  forgotten  the  cause  and  circum- 
stances of  his  father's  death,  but  this  attitude  was  only 


132 

assumed  to  confirm  the  fancied  security  of  his  enemy. 
Still  he  had  no  opportunity  to  satisfy  his  revenge  until 
the  greatgrandson  of  lyeyasu,  named  lyemitsu  (ee-yay- 
meets),  succeeded  as  regent.  The  lawful  heir  of  Tosa 
was  then  appointed  commander  of  the  pikemen  of  the 
new  regent's  uncle,  and  thought  that  the  moment  had 
arrived  to  gratify  his  sole  object  in  life. 

By  some  means  he  discovered  that  the  regent's  uncle 
had  no  great  affection  for  the  new  ruler,  and  when  he 
sounded  this  uncle's  former  tutor,  a  man  of  humble 
birth  but  of  great  ability,  he  found  ready  sympathy. 
His  plan  was  to  destroy  the  whole  race  of  lyeyasu  and 
to  divide  the  empire  between  himself  and  the  tutor. 
Strange  as  it  seems,  it  appears  that  the  regent's  uncle 
knew  and  approved  of  the  conspiracy,  although  he  was 
probably  not  aware  of  the  fate  in  store  for  him  if  the 
plans  of  the  conspirators  were  crowned  with  success. 

As  I  have  told  you  in  another  chapter,  the  spy  system 
had  been  brought  to  a  rare  degree  of  perfection,  and 
although  Tosa  had  kept  his  secret  hidden  in  his  heart 
for  almost  fifty  years,  the  approach  of  success  seems  to 
have  rendered  him  more  careless.  An  incautious  re- 
mark caused  suspicion,  and  careful  investigations  led 
to  the  disclosure  of  his  scheme.  Orders  were  given  to 
arrest  him  and  the  tutor,  but,  in  order  that  the  names 
of  the  other  conspirators  might  be  discovered,  it  was 
decided  to  take  him  by  surprise. 

One  evening  when  Tosa  was  at  home,  happy  in  the 
thought  of  the  near  approach  of  the  longed-for  revenge, 
an  alarm  of  fire  was  sounded  near  his  door.  Without 
any  suspicion  of  trickery  he  ran  out  to  see  if  there  was 


133 

any  immediate  danger ;  and  was  suddenly  surrounded 
and  attacked.  He  defended  himself  bravely,  cutting 
down  two  of  his  assailants,  but  was  at  length  overpow- 
ered by  numbers  and  taken  prisoner.  His  wife  had 
heard  the  noise  and  suspected  the  cause.  While  the 
fight  was  going  on,  she  went  to  the  place  where  her 
husband  kept  his  papers,  and  burned  them.  When  the 
officers  entered  to  search  for  the  list  of  the  conspirators' 
names,  they  could  not  find  it.  Tosa's  wife,  for  this  act, 
is  held  in  the  highest  esteem,  even  by  the  Japanese  of 
to-day,  and  the  greatest  flattery  that  can  be  bestowed 
upon  a  woman  of  that  country  is  to  compare  her  to 
Tosa's  wife. 

The  regent  now  gave  orders  to  arrest  Tosa's  intimate 
friends.  The  tutor  escaped  capture  by  committing 
hara-kiri.  Two  of  the  prisoners,  upon  being  examined, 
at  once  confessed  their  share  in  the  conspiracy,  but 
sternly  refused  to  reveal  the  names  of  their  friends. 

These  two  men,  together  with  Tosa,  were  then  given 
over  to  torture.  I  shall  not  describe  in  detail  the 
shocking  ordeal  through  which  they  passed  ;  it  would 
have  shamed  even  the  horrible  ingenuity  of  the  North 
American  Indian.  But  the  fortitude  of  the  Japanese 
samurai  character  was  such  that  when  they  were  laid 
upon  hot  ashes,  after  being  plastered  all  over  with  wet 
clay,  one  of  the  prisoners  said :  "  I  have  had  a  long 
journey,  and  this  warming  is  good  for  my  health ;  it 
will  supple  my  joints,  and  render  my  limbs  more  active." 
Other  and  more  dreadful  tortures  were  applied,  and 
Tosa,  urged  by  the  judge  to  reveal  his  accomplices,  to 
avoid  further  suffering,  replied  scornfully :  "  Scarcely 


134 

had  I  completed  my  ninth  year  when  I  resolved  to 
avenge  my  father  and  seize  the  throne.  My  courage 
thou  canst  no  more  shake  than  a  wall  of  iron.  I  defy 
thy  ingenuity  !  Invent  new  tortures  ;  my  fortitude  is 
proof  against  them  all  !  " 

Since  no  information  could  be  obtained  from  them, 
the  prisoners  were  condemned  to  death,  and  the  day 
for  the  execution  was  appointed.  According  to  Japa- 
nese law  of  those  days  the  wife  and  mother  of  Tosa, 
with  five  other  women,  were  also  to  suffer  the  death  pen- 
alty. The  condemned  numbered  thirty-four,  and,  headed 
by  Tosa,  they  were  led  in  procession  through  the 
streets  of  Yedo.  When  they  had  reached  the  execution 
grounds,  a  well-dressed  man  whose  two  gold-hilted 
swords  announced  his  rank,  made  his  way  through  the 
crowd,  and  approached  the  minister  of  justice  whose 
duty  it  was  to  be  present  at  capital  punishment.  Mak- 
ing the  customary  salutation  to  the  representative  of 
the  law,  he  said :  "  I  am  a  friend  of  Tosa,  and  of  the 
tutor.  As  I  live  at  a  great  distance,  I  have  but  lately 
heard  that  their  conspiracy  has  been  discovered,  and  I 
came  at  once  to  Yedo.  I  remained  in  hiding,  hoping 
that  the  regent  would  pardon  Tosa.  But  now,  as  he  is 
about  to  die,  I  come  to  bid  him  farewell,  and,  if  neces- 
sary, to  die  with  him." 

"You  are  a  worthy  man,"  replied  the  minister,  "and 
I  wish  that  every  one  were  like  you.  It  is  not  neces- 
sary that  I  should  request  the  regent  to  grant  your 
wish.  Go  and  bid  farewell  to  your  friend  Tosa." 

The  two  friends  were  allowed  to  communicate  without 
being  interfered  with.  Tosa  thanked  his  friend  for  com- 


135 

ing  to  see  him  once  more,  at  so  great  a  risk.  His  friend 
took  a  sad  farewell  and  in  parting  said:  "Our  body  in 
this  world  resembles  a  magnificent  flower,  which,  bloom- 
ing at  early  dawn,  fades  and  dies  as  soon  as  the  sun  has 
risen.  But  after  death  we  shall  be  in  a  better  world, 
where  we  may  without  interruption  enjoy  each  other's 
society."  Having  said  this,  he  left,  after  thanking  the 
minister  for  his  kindness. 

The  prisoners  were  then  fastened  to  separate  crosses, 
and  there  killed  by  the  sword.  Tosa's  wife  suffered 
death  with  no  less  fortitude  than  her  husband. 

I  have  told  you  this  story  to  give  you  an  idea  of 
Japanese  manners,  in  the  days  of  lyeyasu  and  his  suc- 
cessors. But  it  was  only  in  certain  cases  that  men 
of  the  class  to  which  Tosa  and  his  friends  belonged, 
were  publicly  executed.  Treason  against  the  regent 
was  one  of  these.  He  knew  that  the  power  wielded  by 
him  in  Yedo  was  not  lawfully  his,  and  that  any  noble, 
with  sufficient  forces,  could  cause  his  downfall  and 
make  himself  regent.  Public  execution  involved  not 
only  disgrace,  but  also  loss  of  all  property.  Hara-kiri 
prevented  both,  while  it  elevated  the  name  and  family 
of  the  suicide.  The  samurai,  while  showing  no  sign  of 
dissatisfaction  when  one  of  their  number  was  condemned 
to  kill  himself,  were  apt  to  murmur  when  one  was  pub- 
licly disgraced.  And  no  man,  whatever  his  rank  and 
influence  in  Japan,  could  afford  to  arraign  this  most 
powerful  class  against  him. 

Tosa's  wife  was  not  examined  when  her  husband's 
papers  were  missed ;  for  in  Japan  a  woman  was  legally 
incapable  of  giving  testimony,  and  even  if  the  names 


136 

of  the  conspirators  had  been  wrung  from  her  under 
torture,  the  government  could  not  have  made  use  of 
her  confession,  because  it  was  given  by  a  woman.  She 
was  condemned  to  death,  not  because  she  had  burned 
important  papers,  but  because  she  belonged  to  Tosa. 
If  there  had  been  any  children,  they  also  would  have 
suffered  the  same  penalty,  regardless  of  age  or  sex. 
Such  was  the  law  of  Japan  until  within  recent  years. 

Before  I  close  this  chapter,  you  will  like  to  hear  what 
became  of  Tosa's  brave  friend  who  visited  him  just 
before  his  death.  He  stopped  to  witness  the  execution, 
and,  when  all  was  over,  he  returned  once  more  to  the 
minister,  to  whom  he  presented  his  two  swords,  saying : 
"  I  am  indebted  to  you  for  the  last  conversation  with 
my  lost  friend ;  and  -now  I  beg  of  you  that  you  will 
report  me  to  the  regent,  for  I  wish  to  die  like  Tosa." 

"I  will  not  do  so,"  replied  the  minister,  "for  you 
deserve  a  better  fate  than  that.  You  bravely  came 
forward  to  bid  him  farewell,  while  others  remained  in 
hiding,  anxious  only  to  save  their  worthless  lives." 

The  regent's^ uncle  also  was  suspected,  and  so  grave 
was  the  suspicion  against  him  that  he  was  in  danger  of 
being  arrested.  And  now  occurred  one  of  those  in- 
stances of  loyalty  of  which  we  read  so  often  in  Japanese 
books.  The  secretary  of  this  daimio  came  forward  and 
declared  that  he,  and  he  only,  knew  of  the  conspiracy, 
and  that  his  lord  was  guiltless.  And  to  prove  his  state- 
ment, he  resorted  to  the  usual  method,  —  he  committed 
hara-kiri,  and  thereby  saved  his  master's  life  and  estate. 


A   WIFE'S    NOBLE   ACT 

BEFORE  lyeyasu  died,  he  gave  large  territories  to 
his  sons,  and  made  provision  in  case  one  of  his 
successors  died  without  leaving  a  male  heir,  that  he 
should  adopt  an  heir  from  one  of  the  three  high  families 
descended  from  him.  Such  a  case  happened  when  a 
regent  lost  his  only  son  by  an  accident.  But  this  man, 
who  possessed  none  of  the  excellent  qualities  of  his 
ancestor,  determined  to  adopt  as  son  and  heir  a  boy 
who  was  the  child  of  a  favorite,  and  of  inferior  birth. 
Imagine  the  scandal  this  project  caused  in  a  court 
where  high  birth  and  rank  were  regarded  with  the 
utmost  respect  and  reverence.  The  prime  minister 
sought  his  master,  and  plainly  told  him  that  the  act 
he  meditated  would  rouse  not  only  the  daimio  unfavor- 
able to  the  regent's  family,  but  also  those  of  the  blood 
of  lyeyasu,  and  their  friends,  and  that  indeed  this  step 
would  probably* cause  the  downfall  of  his  house.  As 
the  regent  would  not  yield  to  argument,  the  prime 
minister  took  the  unheard-of  step  of  consulting  the 
regent's  wife.  This  lady  was  the  daughter  of  a  Tenno, 
and  was  proud  and  high-spirited.  She  listened  quietly 
to  the  prime  minister's  remarks,  and  when  she  was 
fully  informed  of  the  danger  involved  in  her  husband's 


138 

purpose,  bade  the  alarmed  official  be  of  good  cheer, 
saying  she  would  undertake  to  avert  the  threatened 
peril.  She  declined,  however,  to  inform  him  concern- 
ing her  plans. 

Time  passed  on,  and  finally  the  regent  appointed  the 
day  when  the  adoption  should  take  place.  The  court 
was  aghast,  for  the  daughter  of  the  Heaven  Child  had 
given  no  sign  of  her  proposed  action.  At  last  only 
one  day  was  left,  when  the  regent's  wife,  long  neg- 
lected by  her  wicked  husband,  sent  him  a  message 
requesting  that  he  would  condescend  to  partake  of 
sake  in  her  apartments.  He  consented,  and  in  due 
time  made  his  appearance.  She  received  him  as  if 
nothing  had  happened,  and,  according  to  Japanese 
customs,  served  him  humbly.  While  he  was  drinking, 
she  withdrew  for  a  few  moments  to  her  private  room, 
and  there  wrote  and  forwarded  a  note  to  the  prime 
minister,  in  which  she  summoned  him  to  the  palace. 
Then,  after  placing  in  her  girdle  a  beautiful  dagger, 
she  returned  to  the  room  occupied  by  her  husband. 

The  regent  was  in  high  spirits,  and  willingly  granted 
her  request  for  a  private  audience,  whereupon  she  dis- 
missed the  attendants. 

"  My  lord,"  she  said,  "  is  all-powerful,  and  can  easily 
grant  the  request  his  humble  slave  would  submit." 

"And  what  is  this  request?"  asked  the  regent, 
thinking  that  it  might  concern  some  departure  from 
established  palace  rules. 

"  Now  let  my  lord  deign  to  promise  me,"  she  in- 
sisted ;  but  the  regent  would  not  pledge  himself  until 
he  knew  her  wishes.  Seeing  that  her  husband  could 


139 

not  be  induced  to  give  the  desired  promise,  she  plainly 
stated  the  facts:  — 

"  I  am  informed  that  you  have  decided  to  adopt 
a  young  friend  as  your  heir.  My  honored  lord,  has  it 
occurred  to  you  that  this  step  would  arouse  the  fury 
of  your  most  powerful  kinsmen,  and  that  they  would 
prefer  to  see  the  empire  ruined  rather  than  submit 
to  this  public  insult  and  disgrace  ?  I  impure  you, 
therefore,  to  abandon  your  purpose." 

"What!"  exclaimed  the  regent,  in  surprise  and 
wrath.  "  Since  when  does  a  woman  presume  to  speak 
about  affairs  of  state  !  What  madness  is  this  ?  Think 
you  that  I  who  take  advice  from  no  man,  will  be  in- 
fluenced by  a  woman's  foolish  notions  ?  I  forbid  you 
to  speak  to  me  again,  nor  shall  I  ever  honor  you  with 
another  visit." 

The  regent  rose  to  go;  but  his  wife,  detaining  him 
by  the  sleeve,  and  for  a  moment  casting  aside  her 
accustomed  submission  to  her  husband's  will,  protested  : 

"  Reflect,  O  my  lord  and  master !  Deign  to  remem- 
ber that  naught  but  anxiety  for  your  welfare  causes  me 
to  make  this  request.  If  you  carry  out  your  plan, 
rebellion  will  soon  destroy  your  house.  May  I  not 
live  to  see  that  day !  " 

"  No  more  of  this  !  "  exclaimed  the  regent,  his  anger 
now  aroused  to  the  highest  pitch.  His  wife  saw  that 
nothing  could  move  him  from  the  resolution  he  had 
taken ;  so,  seizing  a  moment  when  he  stood  facing 
her,  she  plunged  her  dagger  twice  into  his  breast. 
Her  hand  was  steady,  and  the  regent  fell  dead  at 
his  wife's  feet. 


140 

She  knelt  by  his  side,  and  implored  him  to  forgive 
her  for  having  employed  the  only  means  within  her 
power  to  secure  the  regency  to  the  house  of  lyeyasu, 
of  which,  since  her  marriage,  she  was  an  insignificant 
member.  "  Do  not  think,  my  lord  and  master,  that 
I  care  to  live,  now  that  I  have  slain  you.  I  have  raised 
my  hand  against  you  and  know  the  punishment." 
She  bared  her  breast,  and  stabbed  herself  with  the 
dagger,  still  red  with  her  husband's  blood. 

The  prime  minister  had  received  the  letter,  and 
hurried  to  the  palace.  But  a  great  deal  of  time  was 
consumed  before  a  high  official  could  leave  the  house. 
First,  the  norimono  must  be  prepared,  and  the  bearers 
called  together.  The  bodyguard  must  assemble  and 
be  ready  to  surround  the  master's  conveyance.  And 
finally  the  heralds,  loudly  shouting :  "  Down  on  your 
knees !  Hita  ni  iru !  "  (shta  nee-eeru),  must  have  a 
fair  start,  so  that  common  passers-by  may  show  proper 
reverence  to  their  lord. 

Thus  it  happened  that  when  the  regent's  palace  was 
finally  reached,  and  the  minister  was  conducted  to  the 
apartments  of  the  regent's  wife,  he  found  the  two 
corpses,  life  being  wholly  extinct.  After  gazing  upon 
the  sight  before  him,  the  minister  exclaimed:  "Japan 
is  saved,  and  by  a  woman !  But  for  her  daring  act, 
to-morrow's  sun  would  have  witnessed  riot  and  rebellion 
and  the  downfall  of  an  illustrious  race !  " 

In  her  letter  to  the  minister  the  woman,  knowing 
that  she  was  facing  death,  had  calmly  given  instruc- 
tions as  to  the  measures  to  be  taken  if  anything  should 
happen  to  the  regent.  The  prime  minister,  full  of 


admiration  for  the  dead  woman's  courage  and  devo 
tion,  obeyed  her  orders,  and  the  legal  heir  was  pro- 
claimed  regent.  The  prime  minister  received  an  ample 


"  Down  on  your  knees!  " 

reward,  and  the  disappointed  candidate  was  raised  to 
the  rank  of  daimio,  and  obtained  a  grant  of  land. 
Japanese  writers  express  great  admiration  for  the 
heroic  conduct  of  this  regent's  wife. 


142 

In  the  laws  made  by  lyeyasu,  Japanese  women  did 
not  have  many  privileges.  A  great  many  girls  were 
taught  to  read  and  write,  but  it  was  only  that  they 
might  be  the  more  impressed  with  the  one  all-absorbing 
duty  of  women,  —  obedience.  To  render,  when  un- 
married, blind,  immediate  obedience  to  parents,  or,  if 
these  were  dead,  to  the  head  of  the  family;  to  enter 
into  marriage  without  being  at  all  consulted,  and  after 
marriage  to  transfer  this  obedience  to  husband  and 
family, — this  was  the  fate  of  a  Japanese  girl.  When 
Mutsuhito  (who  became  emperor  in  1867)  assumed 
the  government,  many  changes  were  made,  and  it 
seemed  for  some  time  as  if  Japan  would  adopt  our 
customs.  But,  so  far  as  women  are  concerned,  the 
Japanese  have  returned  to  their  old  modes  of  thinking, 
and  they  are  now  of  the  opinion  that  their  treatment 
of  a  woman  is  the  best. 


THE   FORTY-SEVEN    RONIN 

I  MUST  now  tell  you  a  story  of  which  the  Japanese 
are  very  fond.  Boys  and  girls  never  weary  of  read- 
ing it,  and  whenever  it  is  announced  that  this  play  is 
to  be  acted  in  a  theater,  the  house  is  sure  to  be  rilled. 
Every  foreigner  coming  to  Japan  hears  about  it,  and 
his  guide  or  interpreter  is  always  anxious  to  show  him 
the  mean-looking  burying  ground  where  the  heroes  of 
this  story  are  laid  to  rest. 

But  to  you  and  to  me  this  tale  is  of  importance 
chiefly  because  it  gives  a  fair  idea  of  the  character  of 
a  samurai,  and  shows  why  the  people  of  Japan  place 
so  much  trust  in  the  members  of  that  class. 

A  certain  regent  was  expecting  a  visit  from  his 
brother,  who  was  on  his  way  to  open  a  new  shrine  to 
the  war  god,  and  two  daimio  were  appointed  to  receive 
the  visitor,  and  to  see  that  he  was  entertained  accord- 
ing to  his  rank.  Treason  excepted,  there  is  no  greater 
crime  than  to  be  ignorant  of  the  proper  ceremonies  due 
a  visitor,  and  in  order  that  no  mistake  might  be  made, 
an  officer  of  the  court  was  appointed  to  instruct  the 
two  daimio.  Of  course,  both  were  anxious  to  learn, 
but  the  court  officer  being  avaricious,  the  chief  secre- 
tary of  one  of  the  daimio  bribed  him  to  take  more  pains 
143 


144 

with  his  master.  This  the  court  officer  did,  and  he 
frequently  made  insulting  remarks  to  his  second  pupil, 
while  complimenting  the  first  upon  his  natural  aptitude, 
and  flattering  him  in  other  ways. 

At  first  the  offended  daimio  thought  that  it  was 
really  to  correct  his  awkwardness  that  these  remarks 
were  made.  But  when  every  successive  day  brought 


Daimio  quarter,  Tokyo 

new  insults  and  hidden  taunts,  he  began  to  suspect  that 
they  were  intentional,  and  he  decided  to  punish  the 
offender.  He  communicated  this  intention  to  his  chief 
secretary,  who  perceived  at  once  what  was  amiss.  Beg- 
ging his  master  to  have  patience  for  a  few  days,  he 
hastily  collected  as  much  gold  as  he  could,  and  in  the 
evening  paid  a  visit  to  the  instructor.  He  began  with 


145 

praising  his  entertainer's  skill  and  knowledge  of  cere- 
monies, and  deplored  his  own  ignorance,  declaring  that 
it  was  due  to  this  that  he  had  omitted  to  offer  him  a 
slight  present  as  a  token  of  respect  from  his  lord,  but 
that  he  wished  to  repair  this  grave  error  by  tendering 
his  humble  gift.  The  court  noble  made  a  gracious  re- 
ply ;  his  eyes  glistened  as  he  felt  the  weight  of  the 
gold,  and  the  faithful  secretary  felt  assured  that  his 
lord  would  thereafter  have  no  cause  to  complain  of 
rudeness. 

The  daimio  was  wholly  ignorant  of  the  step  taken  by 
his  secretary.  All  night  he  brooded  over  the  insults 
that  he  had  received,  and  they  grew  in  number  and 
importance  as  he  recalled  what  had  passed  since  he 
first  entered  the  court  noble's  room.  When  he  pre- 
pared to  go  to  his  daily  ordeal,  it  was  with  the  firm 
purpose  that  his  instructor  should  die,  if  he  dared  act 
in  his  usual  manner. 

When,  however,  the  daimio  entered  the  room  as- 
signed to  the  exercises,  the  court  noble  bowed  low 
before  him,  and  protested  that  hitherto  he  had  misap- 
prehended his  lordship's  faculty ;  and  with  other  soft 
words  attempted  to  curry  favor  with  a  man  who  could 
afford  such  presents.  The  daimio  took  this  unwonted 
politeness  as  a  more  refined  insult,  and,  drawing  his 
sword,  rushed  upon  his  tormentor.  Others  interfered, 
and  prevented  him  from  inflicting  more  than  a  slight 
wound. 

But  drawing  a  sword  within  the  palace  was  an  offense 
scarcely  less  in  degree  than  high  treason,  and  the  pun- 
ishment was  severe.  The  daimio  was  condemned  to 

STO.  OF  JAPAN  —  IO 


i46 

commit  hara-kiri,  and  his  castle  and  lands  were  taken 
by  the  regent.  His  samurai  might  take  service  under 
another  clan  or  turn  ronin ;  that  is,  free  lances. 

When  their  lord  had  committed  suicide,  his  secretary 
called  together  the  samurai  of  the  clan,  and  gave  to 
each  one  his  share  of  the  cash  in  the  treasury.  Some 
of  the  older  clansmen,  furious  at  the  insult  to  their 


A  castle  moat 

master  and  the  clan,  proposed  to  follow  their  lord's 
example,  because  any  resistance  to  the  regent's  decree 
would  be  hopeless.  But  the  young  samurai  were  in 
favor  of  resisting  to  death  the  surrender  of  the  castle. 
Some,  indeed,  received  their  share,  and  quietly  with- 
drew, without  taking  further  part  in  the  discussion. 
Only  one,  who  had  occupied  the  same  rank  as  the 


147 

secretary,  abused  him  for  dividing  the  money  evenly, 
stating  that  his  superior  rank  entitled  him  to  a  greater 
amount.  But  he,  too,  disappeared,  and  shortly  after- 
wards offered  his  services  to  the  same  court  noble 
whose  avarice  had  caused  his  master's  death. 

When  these  samurai,  more  intent  upon  their  own 
future  than  upon  avenging  the  honor  of  the  clan,  had 
left,  only  forty-seven  remained.  The  secretary,  satis- 
fied that  they  were  loyal,  now  divulged  his  plan.  He 
advised  them  to  surrender  the  castle  quietly  to  the 
officers  of  the  regent,  and  to  disperse  in  such  manner 
that  they  could  be  easily  brought  together.  He  ex- 
pressed the  hope  that  their  object  in  life  would  be  to 
avenge  in  the  blood  of  the  court  noble  the  insults  and 
misfortunes  of  the  clan  ;  and  that  therefore  they  would 
take  no  service,  but  live  on  the  money  received  from 
the  treasury.  All  signed  an  agreement  to  this  effect 
with  their  blood.  The  widow  of  the  daimio  moved  to 
Yedo,  trusting  the  management  of  her  affairs  to  the 
devoted  secretary. 

This  faithful  samurai  took  his  wife  and  family  to  a 
village  near  Kyoto,  where  he  rented  a  small  cottage. 
He  knew  that  his  loyalty  to  his  master  was  known, 
and  that  the  court  noble  would  take  sufficient  pre- 
cautions to  insure  his  safety,  so  long  as  he  feared  the 
vengeance  of  the  clan.  Already  the  court  noble  had 
doubled  the  number  of  his  samurai,  and  much  as  he 
loved  money,  he  did  not  hesitate  to  pay  liberally 
for  spies  to  keep  him  informed  of  the  doings  of  such 
members  of  the  hostile  clan  as  he  feared  most.  He  was 
confirmed  in  his  opinion  that  a  plot  existed,  because  no 


i48 

resistance  had  been  offered  when  the  regent's  officers 
appeared  to  take  possession  of  the  castle ;  and  it  was 
for  the  purpose  of  counterscheming  that  he  had  en- 
gaged the  former  councilor  of  the  dead  daimio. 

The  secretary  now  set  about  lulling  his  enemy  into 
security,  and  while  in  secret  he  remained  a  good  hus- 
band and  father,  he  began  to  visit  tea  houses  and  to 
lead,  apparently,  a  very  frivolous  life.  His  best  friends 


Sifting  tea  leaves 

thought  his  mind  had  been   unsettled   by  the  misfor- 
tunes that  had  befallen  his  clan. 

Of  course,  the  spies  employed  by  the  guilty  court 
noble  kept  their  master  informed  of  the  conduct  of 
the  man  suspected  by  him,  and  as  month  after  month 
passed  by,  he  began  to  think  that,  after  all,  his  expen- 
sive precautions  might  be  unnecessary.  But  the  sec- 
retary's character  was  well  known  by  his  former  friend 


.      149 

and  fellow-clansman,  who  proposed  to  his  new  master 
to  let  him  proceed  with  one  of  his  confidential  samurai 
to  the  village  inhabited  by  his  enemy,  and  to  find  out 
if  this  conduct  did  not  conceal  a  deep-laid  scheme  of 
revenge. 

The  court  noble  assented  to  this  plan,  and  the  two 
men  arrived  in  the  village.  It  did  not  take  them  long 
to  discover  the  name  and  location  of  the  tea  house 
where  the  secretary  was  wont  to  spend  much  of  his 
time.  They  decided  upon  surprising  him  there.  Near 
the  place,  they  heard  shouts  of  laughter  from  the  wait- 
resses, and  when  they  entered  the  tea  house,  they  saw 
the  secretary  blindfolded,  playing  a  game  of  blindman's 
buff  with  the  girls.  The  two  spies  asked  for  a  room ; 
they  were  informed  that  they  could  have  one  on  the 
next  floor,  but  that  the  ground  floor  had  been  engaged 
by  the  secretary.  They  ordered  some  sake,  and  settled 
down  to  watch. 

Presently  they  saw  four  men  approaching  and  recog- 
nized three  of  them  as  free  lances,  former  samurai  of 
the  proscribed  clan.  The  fourth  man  was  a  common 
soldier,  who  wished  to  be  admitted  into  the  band  of 
avengers.  They  had  entered  the  inn,  when  the  blind- 
folded secretary,  trying  to  catch  the  girls,  fell  against 
one  of  his  fellow-clansmen:  "You  are  caught!"  cried 
the  secretary,  "  and  now  as  forfeit  you  shall  drink  a 
cup  of  sake  !  " 

The  free  lance  shook  him  off.  "  What  do  you  mean 
by  acting  in  this  way  ?  "  he  said.  "  I  am  your  former 
clansman,  and  here  are  two  of  our  friends.  I  must 
speak  with  you." 


150 

"What  about?"  asked  the  secretary,  in  an  indiffer- 
ent tone ;  then,  turning  to  the  waitresses,  he  added : 
"I  don't  think  I  want  to  play  any  more." 

"  We  want  to  know  when  you  propose  going  to 
Yedo !  "  said  the  spokesman  of  the  four. 

"Yedo! "  repeated  the  secretary.  "Yedo!  Oh,  that's 
a  long  way  off !  What  are  you  talking  about  ? " 

The  ronin  were  furious.  They  would  have  killed 
their  former  leader,  had  not  the  soldier  interfered.  But 
the  man  was  really  anxious  to  join  the  conspirators,  and 
modestly  made  his  request.  The  secretary  answered  : 
"  What  is  the  use  of  revenge  ?  If  we  succeed,  we  shall 
die ;  and  if  we  fail,  we  must  die  also.  What  is  the  good 
of  it  all  ?  What  is  the  use  of  taking  medicine,  when 
one  is  going  to  be  beheaded  the  next  day  ? " 

Still  the  soldier  repeated  his  request;  but  the  sec- 
retary, stretching  himself  upon  the  mats,  yawned, 
turned  round,  and  soon  appeared  to  be  fast  asleep. 
The  samurai  left  in  despair. 


THE    FORTY-SEVEN    RONIN   (Continued} 

THE  spies  were  watching.  They  had  not  been  able 
to  discover  any  plot,  although  they  had  over- 
heard every  word  spoken  in  the  rooms  below.  The 
night  passed,  and  dawn  was  commencing,  when  they 
fancied  they  heard  cautious  footsteps ;  a  door  was 
opened,  some  one  entered,  and  a  few  words  passed  in  a 
whisper.  Then  the  footsteps  were  again  audible,  but 
soon  grew  fainter,  and  silence  once  more  prevailed. 

It  was  the  secretary's  son  who  had  aroused  their 
attention,  the  young  man  having  come  to  seek  his 
father.  When  he  saw  that  they  were  alone,  he  cau- 
tiously took  out  a  letter.  "  It  is  from  our  lord's  widow," 
he  said.  "  The  court  noble  is  going  to  leave  Yedo. 
If  we  do  not  kill  him  now,  the  opportunity  may  be  lost 
forever." 

"  Go  back,"  whispered  the  secretary,  "  and  when  it 
is  dark,  send  me  a  covered  litter." 

The  secretary  lay  down,  but  did  not  sleep.  He 
thought  long  and  deeply,  and  when  daylight  appeared, 
he  arose  and  took  the  letter.  At  this  moment  his  former 
friend,  the  spy,  entered  the  room,  and  the  secretary 
quickly  hid  the  letter  in  his  breast,  not,  however,  with- 
out having  been  observed.  Both  watched  each  other 
intently,  while  professing  to  be  glad  to  meet  again. 


152 

"What  good  wind  brings  you  here?"  cried  the  sec- 
retary. "  It  seems  an  age  since  we  parted,  and  our 
foreheads  are  not  any  the  smoother  for  the  lapse  of 
time.  This  is  a  good  occasion  to  drive  wrinkles 
away !  " 

"  Why,  Sir  Secretary,"  the  spy  replied.  "  Is  this  the 
way  you  set  about  to  avenge  our  lord  ? " 

"  Avenge  !  avenge  !  what  nonsense  is  this  ?  " 

Both  called  for  sake  and  breakfast.  The  traitor, 
when  he  saw  the  secretary  eat  fish,  stood  aghast.  He 
believed  that  the  spirit  of  his  unavenged  lord  might 
have  wandered  into  an  animal,  and  took  care  to  partake 
only  of  vegetable  food.  The  secretary  readily  under- 
stood what  was  passing  in  his  mind,  and  to  confirm  the 
impression  he  had  made,  said  with  feigned  contempt :  — 

"  Who  has  heard  that  our  lord  has  turned  into  a 
fish  ?  Bah  !  A  chicken  would  be  even  better  eating. 
Let  me  order  one!"  and  he  went  out  to  see  about  it. 
This  act  may  be  considered  the  most  heroic  of  all  those 
performed  by  this  loyal  samurai.  It  filled  him  with 
loathing,  for  he  was  as  superstitious  as  his  opponent. 
But  he  wanted  to  convince  the  spy  of  his  own  worth- 
lessness,  and  chose  the  most  efficacious  means. 

When  the  secretary  had  left  the  room,  the  spy's  com- 
rade entered.  They  agreed  that  nothing  was  to  be 
feared  from  a  man  so  utterly  ruined  in  principle,  as 
was  the  secretary,  and  having  finished  their  mission, 
they  decided  to  depart. 

The  spies  entered  their  curtained  litter,  but  the  secre- 
tary's former  friend  passed  out  on  the  other  side,  and 
hid  under  the  floor  of  the  porch,  whispering  to  his  com- 


153 

pardon,  "  I  am  not  yet  wholly  satisfied.      Go  on  your 
way.     I  mean  to  discover  what  was  in  that  letter." 

When  he  saw  the  litter  depart,  the  secretary  came 
out  on  the  porch,  and  proceeded  to  open  the  letter  his 
son  had  brought.  It  evidently  contained  matters  of 


Strolling  players 

importance,  for  the  reader  was  plunged  in  deep  thought 
as  he  continued  to  unfold  it.  It  was  so  long  that  part 
of  it  reached  down  to  the  ground,  and  the  spy  succeeded 
in  drawing  it  through  the  cracks  in  the  floor.  What  he 
read  confirmed  his  suspicion.  He  was  now  convinced 
that  a  conspiracy  existed,  and  that  the  secretary  was 


154 

the  leader.  The  question  was :  how  could  he  obtain 
proof  that  would  convince  his  employer ;  this  was  all 
the  more  necessary  since  his  fellow-spy  was  satisfied 
that  there  was  no  conspiracy.  He  decided  to  tear  off 
part  of  the  letter. 

Now  it  happened  that  one  of  the  waitresses  had 
come  out  on  the  upper  porch  to  listen  to  some  strolling 
players.  Seeing  the  secretary's  letter,  and  curious  to 
know  what  it  might  contain,  she  seized  her  metal  hand 
mirror,  to  obtain  a  reflection.  But  the  mirror  fell,  and 
the  secretary  saw  her.  He  called  out  to  her,  "  Come 
down,  my  girl.  I  have  taken  a  fancy  to  you  and  shall 
purchase  your  release  from  this  place." 

The  girl,  pleased  at  leaving  this  service,  was  coming 
down,  when  the  soldier  who  had  applied  for  admission 
among  the  conspirators  reappeared.  He  was  the  girl's 
brother.  He  had  heard  the  secretary's  offer,  and  while 
the  latter  entered  the  tea  house  to  pay  his  bill,  the  soldier 
asked  his  sister  what  it  all  meant.  She  answered  that 
she  had  read  part  of  the  letter,  and  told  him  the  contents. 
"Woman's  curiosity!"  he  exclaimed.  "The  secretary 
will  kill  you  to  make  sure  of  your  silence."  "  Let  him 
do  so  !  "  she  answered.  "  If  my  death  will  assist  him, 
he  is  welcome  to  take  my  life."  The  secretary,  who 
had  missed  part  of  his  letter,  now  returned.  He  over- 
heard what  was  said,  and  told  the  soldier  that  no  harm 
would  befall  his  sister,  but  that  he  wished  to  keep  her 
safe  until  the  affair  was  over. 

A  search  was  at  once  begun  for  the  culprit  who  had 
torn  off  part  of  the  letter ;  and  the  spy  was  found  and 
dragged  from  his  hiding  place.  With  the  assistance 


155 

of  the  soldier,  he  was  bound  and  gagged,  taken  to  the 
river,  and  drowned.  His  death  relieved  the  secretary 
of  all  immediate  anxiety. 

What  were  the  contents  of  the  letter  that  had  caused 
all  this  trouble?  The  daimio's  widow,  who  had  kept 
herself  informed  of  all  the  court  noble's  actions,  wrote 
that  her  enemy  had  dismissed  most  of  the  guards  he 
had  hired,  as  he  was  about  to  leave  Yedo.  With  the 
small  number  of  samurai  at  present  in  his  yashiki 
(yash-kee),  or  residence,  it  would  be  comparatively  easy 
to  finish  the  affair.  She  urged  immediate  action. 

In  a  city,  not  far  from  Kyoto,  lived  a  merchant  who 
had  been  agent  to  the  clan ;  that  is,  he  had  sold  the  rice 
paid  as  taxes,  and  purchased  whatever  was  necessary. 
This  man  shared  the  feelings  of  the  loyal  samurai  at 
the  misfortunes  of  the  clan,  and  freely  offered  his 
means  to  help  the  conspiracy,  since  he,  as  a  simple 
citizen,  could  not  devote  his  life  to  the  cause.  His 
offer  was  accepted. 

The  secretary  designed  a  model  after  which  forty- 
seven  sets  of  armor  were  made,  so  that  the  conspira- 
tors could  recognize  each  other  in  a  night  attack.  The 
swords  and  other  weapons  were  stored  with  the  mer- 
chant, and  so  that  no  gossip  might  betray  what  was 
passing  in  his  house,  his  wife  was  sent,  for  the  time 
being,  to  her  father's  home.  The  merchant  agreed  to 
have  two  well-equipped  junks  ready  to  carry  the  band 
to  Yedo,  when  the  time  for  the  final  act  should  arrive. 

Now  before  the  unfortunate  episode  that  ended  in 
the  suicide  of  the  daimio  and  the  dissolution  of  the  clan, 
the  secretary's  son  had  been  betrothed  to  the  daughter 


156 

of  the  man  who  with  his  timely  presents  had  bought 
the  court  noble's  good  will.  This  man  and  his  family 
had  heard  of  their  old  friend's  sad  downfall,  and  for 
some  time  the  matter  of  the  marriage  had  been  allowed 
to  drop.  But  father  and  daughter  had  too  great  a  liking 
for  the  secretary's  son  to  abandon  the  project ;  so,  to 
please  his  friend,  the  father  had  procured  a  plan  of  the 
court  noble's  house  and  grounds.  He  now  sent  his 
wife  and  daughter  to  the  secretary's  home,  he  himself 
following  at  a  short  distance. 

The  two  ladies  arrived  and  were  hospitably  received 
by  the  secretary's  wife ;  but  when  they  mentioned  that 
they  had  come  to  confer  about  the  marriage,  the  hostess 
grew  cold  and  haughty.  "  Why  did  your  husband 
first  bribe  that  wretched  court  noble,"  she  said ;  "  why 
did  he  interfere  when  my  lord  was  going  to  kill  him  ? 
Bring  me  the  head  of  your  husband,  and  then  I  may 
listen  to  your  proposal." 

Meanwhile  her  husband,  disguised  as  a  beggar,  had 
arrived  and  overheard  this  cruel  demand.  He  had 
expected  a  refusal,  but  this  undeserved  hatred  made 
him  lose  his  temper.  "  Here  is  my  head;  take  it!"  he 
said,  entering  and  throwing  off  his  disguise.  "  I  have 
heard  that  your  husband  is  not  only  a  r6nin,  but  also  a 
tramp  and  a  madman,  and  should  not  be  surprised  if 
the  son  is  like  the  father.  Let  them  take  my  head  if 
they  can." 

The  wife  of  the  secretary  was  almost  beside  herself 
at  this  insult.  Seizing  a  spear  from  a  rack,  she  made  a 
thrust  at  him  with  all  her  strength,  but  the  samurai 
caught  the  weapon  and  took  it  from  her.  To  prevent 


157 

the  furious  woman  from  doing  mischief,  he  brought  her 
to  the  ground  and  held  her  down.  Just  at  this  moment 
the  door  opened,  and  the  secretary  entered  with  his  son. 
The  young  man,  thinking  his  mother  in  danger,  without 
waiting  for  an  explanation,  picked  up  the  spear,  and  ran 
the  visitor  through  the  body. 

Every  one  was  aghast  at  the  turn  of  affairs.  But  the 
visitor,  who  felt  that  the  wound  was  mortal,  recollected 
the  purpose  of  his  visit,  and  gathering  all  his  strength, 
explained  his  object.  "  Let  my  desire  be  granted,"  he 
concluded,  "and  I  shall  die  happy.  Surely  you  will  not 
make  my  journey  vain." 

In  reply  the  secretary  opened  the  sliding  doors  into 
the  garden.  There,  playing  the  madman,  he  had  made 
two  tombs  of  snow.  He  pointed  toward  these,  and  the 
visitor  understood  that  they  were  for  father  and  son, 
who  were  to  die  before  the  snow  could  melt.  His  wife 
then  said :  — 

"  You  understand  now  why  I  demanded  your  hus- 
band's head.  It  was  not  to  insult  you ;  but  the  court 
noble  must  die,  and  my  husband  and  son  will  be  com- 
pelled to  commit  suicide.  Why  should  my  son  marry 
on  the  brink  of  death  ?  " 

"And  yet  I  insist,"  replied  the  dying  visitor.  "  Take 
this  paper ;  it  contains  a  list  of  the  gifts  that  my 
daughter  will  bring  to  her  husband." 

He  produced  the  paper  and  gave  it  to  the  son,  who 
opened  it  listlessly.  But  no  sooner  had  he  cast  his 
eyes  over  it,  than  his  face  grew  animated ;  and  after 
examining  it  closely,  he  cried  :  "  This  is  no  list  of  gifts, 
but  the  greatest  of  boons.  It  is  the  plan  of  the  court 


I58 

noble's  residence,  with  walls,  gates,  barracks,  garden, 
complete !  "  And  he  passed  it  to  his  father. 

"Thanks,  my  old  friend,"  said  the  secretary.  "This 
is,  indeed,  the  best  gift  we  could  receive,  since  it  re- 
moves the  last  difficulty.  Nothing  can  now  prevent  the 
punishment  of  our  enemy." 

"  Show  me  the  plan  !  "  gasped  the  visitor.  "  See  ! 
here  is  the  water  gate,  and  here  the  main  gate.  Force 


A  Japanese  funeral 

an  entrance  at  these  two  points.  You  will  have  no  diffi- 
culty in  making  your  way  to  the  private  apartments, 
while  at  the  same  time  you  can  prevent  escape  or  rescue. 
And  now,  before  I  die,  let  the  marriage  take  place." 

"  Very  well,"  replied  the  secretary.  "  But  I  must  go 
at  once  to  arrange  for  boats,  and  to  collect  our  men." 
So,  taking  a  dignified  leave  of  his  wife,  and  bidding 
farewell  to  his  visitors,  he  told  his  son  to  join  him  the 


159 

next  day,  and  left,  after  offering  a  brief  prayer  to 
Buddha  for  his  friend. 

With  wife  and  daughter  kneeling  beside  him,  the 
stanch  old  samurai  was  dying.  He  bore  his  pain  with- 
out flinching,  and  when  the  lifeless  body  lay  stretched 
on  the  floor,  the  features  were  in  calm  repose.  The 
women  began  the  prayers  for  the  dead,  while  the  wife 
of  the  secretary  thought  with  pride  of  her  own  husband 
who  was  so  earnestly  bent  upon  preparing  his  own 
shroud. 

The  secretary  had  hurried  to  the  house  of  the  agent, 
and  found  that  everything  was  in  readiness.  The  mer- 
chant's wife  had  not  yet  returned  from  her  visit,  and 
her  father  was  highly  displeased,  and  considered  his 
daughter  divorced.  Still  the  merchant  refused  to  allow 
her  to  return,  fearing  that  an  unguarded  word  might 
betray  the  cause  to  which  he  was  devoted. 

The  evening  before  the  day  set  for  the  sailing  of 
the  conspirators  had  arrived.  About  midnight  the 
agent  was  aroused  by  loud  and  repeated  knocking  at 
his  door;  and  when  he  opened  it,  six  samurai,  armed 
and  dressed  as  city  guards,  rushed  in.  He  was  at  once 
seized  and  placed  under  arrest ;  and  the  officer  in  com- 
mand charged  him  with  conspiring  against  the  life  of 
the  court  noble. 

"  We  have  evidence  against  you  which  cannot  be 
denied,"  said  the  officer.  "We  have  seized  this  box 
which  came  from  your  house.  Confess  at  once,  and 
give  the  names  of  the  other  conspirators,  or  we  will 
put  you  to  torture." 

The   box   was,   indeed,   full    of   weapons    and   chain 


i6o 

armor,  and  had  been  sent  that  day  on  board  the  ship 
that  was  to  carry  the  secretary  and  his  men  to  Yedo. 
"Well,"  thought  the  poor  agent,  "all  is  lost,  though 
through  no  fault  of  mine.  Yet  they  shall  not  discover 
anything  from  me.  I  can  die  but  once  ;  and  I  will  die 
in  an  honorable  cause."  With  a  sudden  effort  he  threw 
off  his  guards,  and  putting  his  knees  upon  the  box, 
dared  them  do  their  worst. 

"  Fool ! "  said  the  officer.  "What  good  would  it  do 
us  to  kill  you  ?  But  we  shall  find  the  means  to  loosen 
your  tongue."  At  a  signal  to  one  of  his  men,  the  agent's 
little  one-year-old  son  was  seized  and  handed  to  the 
officer,  who  pretended  to  prepare  to  cut  the  child's 
throat.  Whatever  may  have  been  his  feelings,  the 
agent  gave  no  sign  of  submission. 

"  Now,"  said  the  officer  sternly,  "  we  know  that  this 
box  contains  armor  and  weapons  for  the  secretary  and 
his  band  of  conspirators,  and  that  it  came  from  your 
house.  Confess  at  once,  or  first  this  child  shall  die  and 
then  you  shall  follow  him." 

"All  I  can  tell  you,"  replied  the  agent,  "is  that  I 
deal  in  arms  as  well  as  in  other  things.  Is  that  a  crime 
for  which  an  honest  man  can  be  put  to  death  ?  If  it  is, 
you  must  begin  with  me,  and  now."  So  saying,  he  made 
a  rush  for  the  officers. 

"  Stop  !  "  thundered  the  secretary,  throwing  off  his 
disguise.  He  now  explained  that  some  of  the  con- 
spirators had  expressed  fear  that  the  agent,  who  knew 
everything  connected  with  the  expedition,  'might  betray 
them  at  the  eleventh  hour;  and  their  leader,  to  make 
sure,  had  resorted  to  this  disguise  to  put  the  agent  to 


the  test.  He,  as  well  as  all  the  ronin,  apologized  for 
their  distrust  and  openly  expressed  their  admiration  for 
the  courage  and  loyalty  of  the  agent.  The  secretary 
willingly  accepted  an  invitation  to  partake  of  refresh- 
ments, and  with  two  of  his  men  remained,  while  the 
others  returned  on  board. 

The  agent's  wife,  urged  by  her  father  to  consider 
herself  divorced,  and  to  accept  another  husband  whom 
he  had  chosen  for  her,  had  not  been  able  to  sleep  that 
night ;  and,  anxious  to  see  her  husband  and  child,  she 
had  quietly  left  the  house.  Reaching  her  home  while 
the  agent  was  entertaining  his  guests,  she  induced  the 
servant  to  admit  her.  Her  husband,  hearing  her  voice, 
left  the  room  and  commanded  her  to  return  to  her 
father,  but  he  could  not  explain  why  he  wished  her  to 
do  so.  The  merchant  was  aware  that  his  father-in-law 
could  compel  his  daughter  to  marry  again,  —  because 
when  a  man  sends  his  wife  to  her  father  to  stay,  it 
means  that  he  divorces  her.  Hence  although  she 
obeyed  his  orders  to  leave  the  house,  she  would  not 
go  away  from  the  door. 

The  secretary  and  his  two  companions  could  not  help 
overhearing  what  was  passing,  and  they  appreciated  the 
agent's  difficulty.  The  leader  whispered  some  instruc- 
tions to  them,  and  they  left  the  house  at  the  back,  and 
passing  to  the  front,  met  the  wife  as  she  came  out  of 
the  door.  They  seized  the  frightened  woman,  un- 
fastened her  hair,  cut  it  off,  and,  laughing,  ran  away 
with  it. 

They  returned  by  the  way  they  had  come,  while  the 
wife's  outcries  brought  the  agent  to  the  front  door.  He 

STO.  OF  JAPAN  —  II 


162 

bade  the  woman  enter  and  laid  his  perplexities  before 
his  guests.  The  secretary  handed  him  his  wife's  tresses, 
saying  that  there  would  be  no  danger  now  of  any  suitors, 
but  that  she  had  better  enter  a  convent  for  a  while,  so 
that  her  hair  might  have  time  to  grow.  This  was 
agreed  upon,  and  the  samurai  then  took  their  leave. 
"I  wish,"  said  the  secretary  in  parting,  "that  you  were 
a  samurai ;  you  would  then  be  able  to  join  us,  and  I  am 
sure  not  one  would  be  braver.  But  you  shall  hear 
from  us  long  before  your  wife's  hair  has  grown,  so  your 
separation  need  not  be  long." 

The  two  junks  with  the  conspirators   on    board    set 
sail,  and  in  due  time  arrived  in  Yedo. 


THE    FORTY-SEVEN    RONIN   (Concluded} 

ON  a  narrow  strip  of  land  extending  into  the  bay, 
with  yashiki  residences  of  other  nobles  on  both 
sides,  was  the  house  of  the  court  noble  for  whose  mur- 
der such  deep  plans  had  been  laid.  A  dark  night  had 
been  set  apart  for  the  attack,  which  was  to  be  made 
according  to  the  directions  of  the  man  who  had  furnished 
the  plan  of  the  grounds. 

The  appointed  time  arrived ;  it  was  dark  and  the 
ground  was  white  with  snow.  The  son,  in  command  of 
half  the  band,  was  to  scale  the  wall  near  the  front  gate, 
while  the  secretary,  with  the  other  half,  would  enter  by 
the  water  gate.  The  party  at  the  front  gate  were  in 
position  and  listened  impatiently  for  the  signal  that 
the  water  gate  had  been  forced.  After  waiting  for  a 
long  time,  two  of  them  cautiously  scaled  the  wall  and 
dropped  down  on  the  other  side.  They  heard  the 
watchman's  rattle,  as  he  was  making  his  rounds,  and 
when  he  passed  near  the  spot  where  they  lay  concealed, 
they  sprang  upon  him,  gagged  and  secured  him.  They 
forced  him  to  continue  his  rounds,  and  to  rattle  at  stated 
intervals,  that  nothing  unusual  might  arouse  suspicion. 
At  last  the  signal  was  heard.  Dark  forms  rushed  to 
the  front  gate,  opened  it,  and  admitted  the  son  with  his 
163 


164 

men,  shouting  the  battle  cry  agreed  upon.  The  guards 
and  servants,  running  hither  and  thither  without  order 
or  supervision,  were  cut  down  by  the  sharp  swords  of 
the  avengers.  Now  they  approached  the  house.  In  a 
few  minutes  the  tightly  closed  shutters  were  unfastened, 
and  the  victorious  samurai  searched  the  rooms  for  their 
intended  victim. 

Seated  on  a  stool  in  the  garden,  the  secretary  di- 
rected the  movements  of  his  men.  But  the  noise  had 
aroused  the  inmates  of  the  adjacent  residences,  and 
men  bearing  lanterns  and  torches  appeared  upon  the 
neighboring  roofs,  their  bearers  inquiring  into  the  cause 
of  this  disturbance.  The  secretary  with  all  politeness 
informed  them  of  the  feud  against  the  court  noble, 
adding  that  there  was  no  danger  of  fire,  so  that  their 
residences  would  not  be  damaged.  His  object  was 
vengeance  only ;  but  if  they  were  inclined  to  make  their 
neighbor's  cause  their  own,  he  was  ready  to  receive 
them.  Satisfied  with  this  explanation,  and  fully  sym- 
pathizing with  the  cause  of  the  disturbers,  the  unin- 
vited spectators  withdrew. 

The  avenging  party  was  now  in  possession  of  the 
place,  but  its  owner,  the  object  of  their  vengeance, 
was  not  to  be  found.  It  looked,  indeed,  as  if  he  had 
effected  his  escape,  and  the  secretary,  after  detailing 
men  to  guard  the  gates,  commenced  a  systematic 
search.  The  residence  was  ransacked  in  every  nook 
and  corner ;  but  neither  there  nor  in  the  grounds  could 
be  found  any  trace  of  the  fugitive.  In  searching  the 
shed  used  for  storing  charcoal,  a  person  was  found 
hiding,  and  being  dragged  out,  was  recognized  as  the 


i6S 

missing  noble.  He  was  led  to  the  secretary,  who, 
bowing  in  recognition  of  the  captive's  rank,  briefly 
reminded  him  of  the  misfortunes  he  had  caused  the 
clan  and  its  lord,  and  requested  him  to  commit  hara- 
kiri  that  the  soul  of  the  dead  daimio  might  be 
appeased  by  having  the  noble's  head  placed  upon  his 
tomb. 

"  So  be  it,"  was  the  reply ;  "  my  head  shall  be  at  your 
disposal."  Then  he  drew  his  dagger  as  if  to  use  it 
upon  himself.  But,  suddenly  rising  to  his  feet,  he 
struck  furiously  at  the  secretary.  The  latter,  however, 
was  on  his  guard  and  caught  his  now  desperate  foe 
by  the  wrist.  After  a  brief  struggle,  the  noble  lay 
writhing  on  the  ground.  "Do  with  him  as  you  please!" 
exclaimed  the  secretary ;  and  the  next  instant  the 
swords  of  the  samurai  were  buried  in  the  body  of 
their  enemy. 

"O  happy  hour!"  one  cried,  as  he  withdrew  his 
sword ;  "  O  blessed  event !  For  this  we  have  left  par- 
ents, wives,  and  children,  and  lived  as  homeless  out- 
casts. For  this  we  have  refused  to  take  honorable 
service,  that  we  might  be  free  to  wreak  vengeance 
upon  our  destroyer.  Could  we  live  three  thousand 
years,  never  again  might  we  hope  to  meet  with  such 
good  fortune !  " 

Then  the  head  was  cut  off,  washed,  and  reverently 
set  upon  a  temporary  altar  where  the  dead  daimio's 
emblem  had  been  placed  by  the  secretary.  The  samu- 
rai then  burned  incense,  and  called  upon  the  soul  of 
their  lord  to  approve  of  the  act  to  which  they  had 
devoted  their  lives.  It  was  now  broad  daylight,  and  the 


166 

city  was  ringing  with  their  deed.  They  formed  in  pro- 
cession, and,  passing  before  the  residence  of  a  high 
noble,  they  were  invited  to  enter,  and  partake  of  some 


Japanese  wrestlers 

refreshments.  They  did  so,  and  were  highly  applauded 
for  their  loyalty.  Then  proceeding  to  their  lord's  tomb, 
they  placed  their  enemy's  head  upon  it,  and  committed 
hara-kiri  to  escape  punishment  by  the  regent. 


There  is  no  story  told  in  Japanese  books  that  can 
give  a  better  idea  of  the  spirit  animating  a  samurai. 
It  is  founded  upon  facts,  and  explains  many  circum- 
stances that  are  almost  inconceivable  to  us.  The  rule 
that  without  progress,  persons  as  well  as  nations  must 
decay  and  perish,  was  defied  by  Japan.  For  more  than 
two  hundred  and  fifty  years  that  country  was  kept  sta- 
tionary. Such  a  condition  would  have  produced  retro- 
gression anywhere  else,  but  it  was  this  spirit  of  the 
samurai  that  saved  the  country.  This  sturdy,  proud, 
self-reliant  spirit,  suffering  no  superiority,  acknowledg- 
ing no  master,  impatient  of  restraint,  was  stirred  to 
the  utmost  when,  notwithstanding  undeniable  valor, 
the  samurai  suffered  defeat -from  strangers,  —  inferiors 
in  their  opinion,  since  they  were  not  samurai,  nor  even 
Japanese. 

Dissembling  their  real  feelings  as  did  the  secretary 
in  the  story,  they  set  about  learning  the  secret  of  these 
strangers'  strength.  They  began  to  study  our  arts  and 
methods,  with  that  set  purpose  which  commands  success. 
They  introduced  our  habits  first  indiscriminately,  to 
discard  after  closer  acquaintance  such  as  might  prove 
harmful  to  Japan.  Self-interest  was  never  considered. 
When  wealth  was  requisite  for  their  purpose,  they  would 
have  such  wealth,  not  as  an  aim  in  itself,  but  as  an 
incident  to  promote  their  schemes.  They  have  trans- 
ferred their  loyalty  from  clan  to  country,  and  from 
hollyhock  or  gentian  to  the  imperial  chrysanthemum. 
What  must  be  the  future  of  a  country,  guided  by  such 
a  spirit  ? 


VARIOUS   ATTEMPTS   TO   TRADE  WITH 
JAPAN 

WHEN  the  Hollanders  received  permission  to  re- 
main in  Japan  for  the  purpose  of  trading,  the 
English  were  granted  the  same  privilege ;  but  as  they 
found  no  profit  in  it,  they  at  length  withdrew.  When 
Charles  II.  was  king,  an  effort  was  made  to  return,  but 
when  the  Japanese  heard  that  the  king  was  married 
to  a  Portuguese  princess,  they  haughtily  refused  their 
consent. 

Years  passed  by,  and  Japan  was  left  undisturbed.  If 
a  ship  in  distress  came  to  their  coast,  the  Japanese 
would  relieve  the  wants  of  the  crew,  and  dismiss  them. 
They  acted,  indeed,  in  a  very  humane  and  kind  manner, 
so  long  as  they  were  satisfied  that  it  was  accident  and 
not  purpose,  which  had  led  the  strangers  to  their  shores. 
The  government,  however,  was  determined  to  carry 
out  the  policy  of  lyeyasu  and  to  keep  the  country  in 
seclusion  as  long  as  possible. 

The  first  ship  to  break  through  this  barrier  was  the 
Eliza,  Captain  Stewart,  of  New  York,  near  the  end  of 
the  eighteenth  century.  Holland  was  at  war  with  Eng- 
land, and,  to  avoid  capture  by  British  cruisers,  engaged 
neutral  vessels  to  carry  merchandise.  The  Eliza, 
1 68 


i69 

bearing  the  Dutch  flag,  arrived  at  Nagasaki,  and  great 
was  the  consternation  of  the  officials  when  they  found 
that  no  one  of  these  supposed  Hollanders  understood 
Dutch.  It  took  some  time  to  make  the  governor  under- 
stand that  these  seamen  were  not  English,  although  they 
spoke  that  language.  But  even  when  he  did  realize  the 
difference  between  an  American  and  an  Englishman,  it 
was  with  much  hesitation  that  he  consented  to  consider 
the  Americans  even  as  carriers.  But  at  last  consent 
was  given,  since  the  war  rendered  this  substitution  un- 
avoidable. 

The  Eliza  returned  the  next  year,  again  engaged  by 
the  Dutch.  When  she  was  loaded  with  camphor  and 
copper,  she  set  sail  in  the  evening,  but  struck  upon  a 
rock,  filled,  and  sank.  The  crew  succeeded  in  getting 
off  in  the  boats  and  safely  reached  the  shore,  and  the 
question  now  arose  as  to  how  to  raise  the  ship  and  her 
valuable  cargo. 

At  first  it  was  decided  to  employ  Japanese  divers  to 
bring  up  the  copper ;  but  the  camphor  had  melted,  and 
the  gases  caused  the  death  of  two  men.  Other  attempts 
to  raise  the  ship  followed,  but  all  proved  fruitless. 
When  all  were  at  a  loss  what  to  do,  a  fisherman  came 
forward  and  offered  to  raise  the  ship  if  his  'expenses 
were  paid.  At  first  he  was  laughed  at ;  but  when  the 
Americans  saw  his  confidence,  they  agreed  to  let  him  try. 

He  began  his  work  by  fastening  to  both  sides  of 
the  vessel  fifteen  boats,  connecting  them  by  means 
of  props  and  stays.  When  there  happened  to  be  un- 
usually high  water,  he  came  himself  in  a  junk  which 
he  fastened  in  the  same  manner  to  the  stern  of  the 


sunken  vessel.  When  the  water  was  at  the  highest 
point,  sail  was  set  on  all  the  boats.  The  heavily  loaded 
vessel  was  lifted,  she  cleared  the  rocks,  and  was  towed 
to  a  spot  on  the  shore  where  she  could  easily  be  un- 
loaded and  repaired.  The  man's  expenses  were  paid, 
and  he  was  handsomely  rewarded,  while  a  neighboring 
daimio  gave  him  the  right  to  wear  two  swords,  which 
was  similar  to  knighting  him. 

It  seems  that,  while  this  accident  kept  Captain  Stew- 
art at  Nagasaki,  he  conceived  the  idea  of  entering  into 
commercial  relations  with  the  Japanese,  independent  of 
the  Dutch.  When  his  vessel  had  been  repaired  and 
her  cargo  was  again  on  board,  he  sailed,  but  encoun- 
tered a  storm  which  dismantled  him,  and  once  more 
he  returned  to  Nagasaki.  At  last  he  departed,  and 
returned  the  following  year,  but  in  another  vessel.  He 
stated  that  the  Eliza  had  been  wrecked,  so  that  he  had 
not  reached  Batavia ;  that  he  had  lost  the  cargo,  but 
that  a  friend  in  Manilla  had  furnished  him  with  the 
means  to  purchase  and  load  the  brig,  and  that  he  had 
come  to  pay  his  bill  for  repairs  of  the  Eliza,  for  which 
purpose  he  offered  his  cargo  for  sale. 

The  general  agent  of  the  Dutch  listened  quietly  to 
this  story,  and  turned  the  goods  in  the  usual  manner 
over  to  the  Japanese.  Now  Captain  Stewart  had  stated 
that  nothing  had  been  saved  of  the  cargo  of  the  Eliza, 
and  when  several  articles  that  had  been  shipped  on  her 
had  been  identified  among  the  cargo  of  the  brig,  Captain 
Stewart  was  arrested  and  sent  to  Batavia  to  be  tried  for 
the  loss  of  the  Eliza  s  cargo. 

While  the  investigation  was  going  on,  the  prisoner 


I/I 

made  his  escape,  but  in  1803  he  entered  Nagasaki  Bay 
in  another  vessel  and  under  the  American  flag,  and 
boldly  requested  permission  to  trade  and  to  supply  him- 
self with  fresh  water  and  oil.  The  first  request  was  at 
once  denied,  but  he  was  given  what  he  asked  for  with- 
out charge,  and  was  then  compelled  to  leave.  The 
captain  after  this  probably  abandoned  his  purpose ;  at 
all  events,  he  was  not  heard  of  again  in  Japanese 
waters. 

Another  attempt  to  open  friendly  intercourse  with 
Japan  was  made  by  Russia.  A  Japanese  vessel  had 
been  wrecked  off  the  coast  of  Siberia,  and  Empress 
Catherine  II.  sent  home  the  members  of  the  crew  who 
had  been  saved.  Laxman,  captain  of  the  Catherine, 
which  had  been  chartered  for  this  purpose,  entered 
Hakodate  (hah-koh-dah-tay),  on  the  island  of  Hokkaido 
(huh-kl-doh),  and  told  the  authorities  the  object  of  his 
visit,  at  the  same  time  requesting  that  arrangements 
might  be  made  to  establish  trade.  He  was  courteously 
received,  but  was  warned  in  writing :  — 

1.  That   the  Japanese    law  condemned  to  imprison- 
ment for  life  every  foreigner  landing  in  any  part  of  the 
empire,    except    Nagasaki.      The    government   would, 
however,  overlook  the  offense  (on  account  of  his  igno- 
rance of  these  laws,  and  because  of  the  Russians'  kind- 
ness to  Japanese  subjects),  on  condition  that  Laxman 
would  promise  that  he  and  his  countrymen  would  leave 
immediately,  and  would  never  again  approach  any  part 
of  the  coast  except  the  port  of  Nagasaki. 

2.  That  the  Japanese  government  thanked  the  Rus- 
sians for  the  care  taken  of  its  subjects ;  but  that  they 


might  leave  them  or  take  them  back  as  they  pleased, 
because  the  government  considered  all  men  to  belong 
to  the  country  where  they  were  cast  by  their  destiny 
and  where  their  lives  had  been  protected.  Laxman  and 
his  crew  had  been  treated  with  the  greatest  civility. 
Before  his  departure,  he  was  provided,  without  charge, 
with  everything  he  wanted,  and  finally  dismissed  with 
presents. 

The  troubles  arising  from  the  French  Revolution 
caused  a  cessation  of  further  efforts.  But  in  1803, 
Emperor  Alexander  sent  his  chamberlain  Resanoff  as 
ambassador  to  the  emperor  of  Japan.  Resanoff  was 
not  the  man  to  engage  in  the  difficult  task  before 
him.  First  he  was  insolent  and  overbearing,  and  then 
submitted  tamely  when  the  Japanese  confined  him 
in  a  narrow  inclosure,  resembling  a  bamboo  cage,  on 
the  beach  at  Nagasaki.  After  some  time  he  was  in- 
formed that  the  Japanese  government  had  no  desire 
that  Russian  ships  should  enter  any  port  of  Japan,  and 
was  dismissed  unceremoniously.  Resanoff  returned  to 
Kamchatka,  and  applied  to  the  captains  of  two  small 
armed  vessels,  to  procure  him  satisfaction.  Had  he 
sought  this  at  Nagasaki,  he  might  have  impressed  the 
Japanese ;  but  instead  of  this  he  attacked  some  of 
the  Kurile  (koo-reel)  Islands,  killed  and  captured  the 
defenseless  inhabitants,  and  burned  their  villages. 
Resanoff  died  on  his  way  to  St.  Petersburg. 

The  Russians  had  begun  to  colonize  some  of  the 
northern  Kurile  Islands,  and  in  1811  Captain  Golownin 
(go-lof-neen)  was  dispatched  in  the  Diana  to  make 
a  survey  of  this  group.  Some  of  his  crew  were  in  dan- 


173 

ger  of  being  captured  when  they  landed  on  one  of  the 
islands,  but  Golownin  explained  that  he  had  come  only 
to  take  in  wood  and  water;  that  the  act  of  the  two 
Russian  captains  had  been  one  of  piracy  and  that  they 
had  been  punished  by  the  government.  This  satisfied 
the  Japanese  officers,  and  the  Russians  received  a  letter 
to  the  commandant  of  another  fortress  on  the  same 
island,  where  there  was  more  facility  to  procure  what 
was  needed. 


A    RUSSIAN    CAPTIVE 

GOLOWNIN,  instead  of  going  where  directed,  con- 
tinued his  survey,  and  when  he  really  did  need 
water  and  other  necessaries,  he  proceeded  to  one  of 
the  more  southern  islands  of  the  same  group,  and 
communicated  with  the  Japanese  commandant.  This 
officer  pretended  to  be  satisfied  until  Golownin  deemed 
himself  safe ;  when,  having  landed  without  escort,  he, 
his  officers,  and  boat's  crew  were  overpowered  and 
taken  prisoners. 

First  the  Russians  were  tightly  bound  with  small 
cords ;  they  were  rendered  so  helpless  that  they  had 
to  be  fed  like  infants,  since  they  could  not  use  their 
hands ;  the  cords  by  which  their  legs  were  fastened 
had  only  enough  play  to  enable  the  men  to  walk.  A 
soldier  held  the  end  of  each  man's  cord,  and  in  this 
manner  they  were  driven  overland,  or  piled  together  in 
boats  when  transportation  by  water  was  necessary. 

They  were  well  taken  care  of,  so  far  as  food  and  drink 
were  concerned,  and  when  they  were  too  tired  to  walk, 
their  guards  willingly  carried  them.  So  too,  when  the 
people  of  the  villages  through  which  they  passed 
offered  refreshments,  the  prisoners  were  always  allowed 
to  partake,  and  it  seemed  to  afford  their  guards  pleas- 


175 

lire,  if  they  appeared  to  enjoy  these  gifts.  At  the 
same  time  the  guards  would  not  loosen  the  prisoners' 
cords,  even  though  they  cut  into  the  flesh  and  caused 
intense  suffering ;  but  at  night  the  wounds  were  care- 
fully dressed.  At  last  the  Russians  received  an  expla- 
nation of  the  odd  mixture  of  cruelty  and  kindness 
with  which  they  were  treated.  It  appeared  that  the 


Street  in  Hakodate 

guards  had  been  charged  to  convey  the  prisoners 
alive  to  Hakodate,  and  were  afraid  that  one  of  them 
might  commit  suicide  from  despair  at  being  a  prisoner. 
If  this  had  happened,  or  if  one  of  the  Russians  had 
effected  his  escape,  there  would  have  been  no  inquiry : 
the  guard  in  charge  would  simply  have  been  found 
guilty,  condemned  to  death,  and  executed.  The  kind- 
ness shown  to  the  prisoners  was,  therefore,  genuine 


1 76 

good  nature,  while  the  apparently  unnecessary  severity 
was  a  precaution  for  the  protection  of  the  guards 
themselves. 

After  a  month,  Hakodate  was  reached.  The  arrival 
of  the  Russians  must  have  been  expected,  for  both 
sides  of  the  road  were  crowded  with  men,  women,  and 
children.  All  behaved  in  a  well-bred  manner.  "  I 
paid  special  attention,"  says  Golownin,  "to  their  expres- 
sions, and  failed  to  observe  an  angry  look,  or  a  sign 
of  hatred  toward  us,  and  there  was  not  the  least 
attempt  to  insult  us  by  laughing  or  mockery." 

The  Russians  were  taken  to  a  long  wooden  building 
surrounded  by  bamboo  palisades.  There  was  a  hall- 
way with  wooden  cages  or  cells  on  each  side,  about 
six  feet  square  and  provided  with  two  small  windows 
with  iron  gratings,  admitting  light  and  air  ;  the  floor  was 
covered  with  mats,  and  a  wooden  bench  was  all  the 
furniture.  Each  prisoner  was  put  into  one  of  these 
cells.  Through  the  night,  watchmen  made  the  rounds, 
rattling  now  and  then  to  announce  that  they  were  on 
guard.  In  the  morning  the  Russians  received  water 
with  which  to  wash  themselves,  and  a  Japanese  physi- 
cian came  to  inquire  into  the  condition  of  their  health. 

On  the  third  day  they  were  conducted,  under  a  strong 
guard,  to  the  house  of  the  governor.  Here  tea  and 
tobacco  were  offered  them,  and  they  were  asked  a 
number  of  questions,  the  answers  being  taken  down  in 
writing. 

"  Has  Russia  changed  her  religion  ?  "  was  one  of  the 
unexpected  questions. 

"  Certainly  not." 


1/7 

"  Why  do  you  wear  your  hair  cut  short  and  without 
powder,  when  Laxman,  who  was  here  a  few  years  ago, 
wore  a  long  pigtail  and  thick  hair  covered  with  flour? " 

"  Fashions  change,  but  they  have  nothing  to  do  with 
religion." 

This  answer  the  Japanese  could  not  understand,  but 
the  interrogation  continued. 

"  Why  did  you  carry  off  wood  and  rice,  when  you 
landed,  without  the  consent  of  the  owners  ?  " 

"  We  left  in  exchange  other  articles,  fully  equal  in 
value." 

"  Does  Russian  law  allow  you  to  take  anything  with- 
out the  owner's  consent,  if  you  leave  other  articles  of 
equal  value  ?  " 

"  It  does  not.  But  if  a  man  takes  what  is  absolutely 
necessary  for  his  existence,  and  substitutes  full  value, 
he  cannot  be  considered  guilty." 

"  Ah,  our  laws  are  different.  A  man  must  sooner 
die  of  hunger  than  touch,  without  the  consent  of  the 
owner,  a  single  grain  of  rice  which  does  not  belong  to 
him." 

When  the  Russians  had  been  fifty  days  in  Hako- 
date, they  were  taken  to  Matsumai  (mah-tsoo-mi),  where 
the  governor  of  the  island  resided.  Here  they  were 
again  examined,  but  more  minutely.  There  was  a  great 
improvement  in  their  treatment,  although  they  were 
still  confined  as  before.  The  weather  being  extremely 
cold,  they  were  well  provided  with  warm  clothing,  and 
a  physician  visited  them  twice  a  day.  If  any  one  was 
ill,  a  second  doctor  would  come  to  attend  him. 

At  last  the  Russians  were  removed  from  their  prison 

STO.  OF  JAPAN —  12 


1 78 

to  a  residence  surrounded  with  strong  palisades,  and 
were  permitted  to  walk  through  the  town,  accompanied 
by  a  guard.  They  now  resolved  to  escape.  After  having 
burrowed  under  the  palisades,  one  night  in  April,  they 
crept  out,  one  by  one,  and,  favored  by  darkness,  struck 
across  the  country  toward  the  sea,  directing  their  course 
to  the  north,  and  ascending  hills  covered  with  snow. 
Hiding  by  day,  they,  for  eight  nights,  wandered  through 
thickets  or  scrambled  among  rocks  and  precipices,  at 
great  risk  to  their  necks  or  limbs. 

At  length  they  reached  a  village  on  the  shore  and 
found  two  boats,  but  these  were  hauled  up  on  the  beach, 
and,  weak  and  famishing  as  the  Russians  were,  they 
could  not  launch  them.  A  little  farther  on  they  saw  a 
boat  afloat,  and  near  it  a  tent.  One  of  the  famishing 
sailors  thrust  his  hand  into  the  tent,  but  instead  of 
finding  something  eatable,  he  grasped  the  head  of  a 
Japanese  who  was  sleeping  within.  The  fellow  roared 
out,  and  the  Russians,  fearing  that  the  noise  would 
alarm  the  villagers,  hastened  back  to  the  hills. 

On  the  next  morning,  when  they  were  helpless  from 
exhaustion,  they  found  themselves  surrounded  by  sol- 
diers, who  came  upon  them  very  quietly,  bound  their 
arms  behind  their  backs,  and  led  them  to  a  house,  where 
they  refreshed  them  with  sake,  boiled  rice,  radishes,  and 
tea.  The  Russians  had  been  regularly  tracked,  day  by 
day.  Golownin  suspected  that  the  old  fear  about  suicide 
had  prevented  the  Japanese  from  seizing  them  sooner. 
They  were  marched  back  to  Matsumai,  and  safely 
lodged  in  the  castle.  The  governor  showed  no  anger 
at  this  escapade  :  he  merely  told  Golownin  that  his  plan 


179 

was  ill  contrived,  and  that  if  he  had  succeeded  the  gov- 
ernor himself  and  other  Japanese  would  have  answered 
for  the  escape  with  their  lives. 

The  Russians  were  soon  sent  from  the  castle  to  a 
new  prison,  and  put  into  separate  cages.  But,  at  last, 
when  the  second  year  of  their  captivity  was  well  ad- 
vanced, they  were  restored  to  liberty,  and  sent  off  to 
their  own  country. 

At  the  time  of  his  capture,  the  officers  of  Golownin's 
ship,  the  Diana,  had  attempted  to  get  near  enough  in 
shore  to  be  able  to  use  the  small  cannon  with  which 
the  ship  was  armed,  but  they  were  prevented  by  the 
shallow  water.  For  three  days  they  cruised  near  the 
place  of  the  capture,  and  finally  landed  near  a  village, 
where  they  left  some  linen  and  other  articles  of  which 
the  captives  might  be  in  need.  Then  they  returned  as 
fast  as  possible  to  the  seat  of  the  Russian  government 
on  the  Pacific  coast. 

One  of  the  captains  of  the  Russian  navy  left  at  once 
for  St.  Petersburg  to  lay  the  case  before  the  emperor. 
But  at  that  time  Russia  was  engaged  in  war  with 
France,  and  it  was  some  time  before  Emperor  Alex- 
ander ordered  the  Diana  to  return  to  Japan.  Captain 
Rikord  was  appointed  to  take  command.  When  he 
sailed,  he  carried  with  him  seven  Japanese  who  had 
been  shipwrecked  on  the  coast,  thinking  that  he  might 
effect  an  exchange.  But  when  he  reached  Japan,  he 
found  that  he  could  not  enter  into  communication  with 
the  shore,  since  the  Japanese  declined  to  take  notice  of 
him.  At  one  place,  indeed,  they  fired  upon  his  vessel. 

Under  these  circumstances,  Captain  Rikord  decided 


i8o 

to  capture  a  Japanese  vessel,  but  when  he  did  so,  the 
crew  jumped  overboard  and  escaped,  and  he  gained 
nothing.  Soon  after  this,  he  captured  a  large  native 
junk,  and  although  some  of  the  men  threw  themselves 
overboard,  the  captain,  a  lady  passenger,  and  several 
of  the  crew  were  captured.  Most  of  the  sailors  were 
set  free,  and  allowed  to  proceed  with  their  vessel ;  but 
as  the  season  was  too  far  advanced  for  further  efforts, 
the  Diana  returned  to  Kamchatka  with  her  prisoners. 
There  they  were  well  treated,  and  the  captain  passed 
most  of  his  time  in  studying  the  Russian  language. 

The  Diana  returned  to  the  Japanese  coast  in  the 
spring,  but  it  was  June  before  she  reached  the  island 
of  Hokkaido.  No  one  would  communicate  with  her; 
indeed,  it  seemed  as  if  the  coast  had  been  deserted. 
Captain  Rikord  now  called  the  Japanese  captain  and 
explained  to  him  what  he  wished  him  to  do.  The 
Japanese  stoutly  declined  to  follow  his  instructions,  add- 
ing that,  if  Rikord  persisted,  he  would  first  kill  the 
Russian  and  then  himself. 

By  his  own  desire,  the  Japanese  captain  was  then 
put  ashore,  and  made  his  way  to  the  house  of  the 
governor.  He  took  with  him  a  statement  signed  by 
the  Russian  governor  of  Kamchatka,  that  the  outrage 
committed  in  the  Kurile  Islands  had  been  severely 
condemned  by  the  government.  This  document  he 
handed  to  the  governor,  stating  that,  from  his  own 
experience,  the  Russians  had  nothing  but  good  feelings 
toward  Japan.  The  Diana  was  thereupon  allowed  to 
come  to  the  port  of  Hakodate,  where  Golownin  and 
his  men  were  permitted  to  rejoin  her. 


ENGLISH    ATTEMPTS   TO   TRADE   WITH 
JAPAN 

THE  attempt  of  the  English,  in  the  reign  of  Charles  II., 
to  renew  friendly  relations  with  Japan,  was  not  re- 
peated. For  more  than  a  hundred  years  the  Japanese 
were  left  undisturbed  so  far  as  England  was  concerned. 
At  the  end  of  the  last  century  and  the  beginning  of  this, 
private  merchants  occasionally  sent  a  ship  to  trade  or 
barter,  but,  although  these  vessels  were  invariably  sup- 
plied with  whatever  was  needed,  free  of  charge,  com- 
munication with  the  shore  was  rendered  impossible. 
The  impressions  left  by  such  English  vessels  as  suc- 
ceeded in  getting  into  Nagasaki  harbor  were  not  favor- 
able to  them. 

In  October,  1808,  the  British  frigate  Phaeton,  Captain 
Pellew,  had  been  commissioned  to  cruise  off  the  coast 
of  Japan,  to  capture  the  annual  Dutch  traders.  For 
Holland  had  been  annexed  to  France,  and  was  there-  '* 
fore  at  war  with  England.  For  a  month  or  more, 
Captain  Pellew  had  been  sailing  over  these  seas  without 
seeing  a  sign  of  any  Dutch  vessels.  Thinking  that  they 
might  be  in  the  harbor  of  Nagasaki,  he  decided  to  look 
for  himself.  Flying  Dutch  colors,  he  approached  that 
harbor,  and  as  the  usual  Dutch  vessel  was  expected  at 
181 


182 

that  time,  she  was  permitted  to  anchor,  and  the  general 
agent  of  the  Dutch,  suspecting  nothing,  sent  two  of  his 
clerks  to  the  frigate.  They  did  not  return,  and  this 
excited  suspicion. 

The  Japanese  governor  decided  at  once  to  prepare 
for  strong  measures,  but  he  found,  to  his  dismay,  that 
nearly  all  the  soldiers  of  a  strong  fort  in  the  harbor 
were  absent  without  leave,  and  that  the  commandant 
was  not  to  be  found.  A  few  hours  later,  the  general 
agent  received  a  brief  note  from  one  of  the  missing 
clerks,  stating  :  "  This  ship  has  come  from  India.  The 
captain's  name  is  Pellew ;  he  asks  for  water  and  pro- 
visions." 

The  general  agent  was  afraid  to  comply  without  the 
consent  of  the  governor.  At  midnight  he  was  visited 
by  the  governor's  chief  secretary,  who  told  him  that  he 
had  orders  to  rescue  the  two  Hollanders. 

"  How  do  you  propose  doing  it  ?  "  asked  the  agent. 

"  Your  countrymen  have  been  seized  by  treachery," 
replied  the  secretary ;  "  I  shall  therefore  go  alone,  obtain 
admission  on  board  by  every  demonstration  of  friend- 
ship, seek  an  interview  with  the  captain,  and  on  his 
refusal  to  deliver  his  prisoners,  stab  him  first,  and  then 
myself." 

It  was  with  difficulty  that  this  officer  was  persuaded 
to  abandon  his  desperate  plan,  and  it  was  finally  de- 
cided to  detain  the  frigate  until  all  the  boats,  junks,  and 
troops  of  the  neighboring  territories  could  be  collected, 
and  then  to  attack.  The  night  was  spent  in  warlike 
preparations,  which,  says  the  agent,  who  has  written 
several  works  on  Japan,  "gave  evidence  that  the  country 


had  been  at  peace  for  a  very  long  time."  The  next 
afternoon,  one  of  the  missing  Hollanders  was  put 
ashore.  He  brought  a  note  stating  :  "  I  have  ordered 
my  own  boat  to  set  the  bearer  on  shore,  to  procure  me 
water  and  provisions ;  if  he  does  not  return  with  them 
before  evening,  I  will  sail  in  early  to-morrow,  and  burn 
the  Japanese  and  Chinese  vessels  in  the  harbor." 

The  Japanese  official  at  first  would  not  allow  the 
clerk  to  return  to  the  ship,  but  finally  consented,  upon 
the  agent's  reminding  him  that  it  was  the  only  way  to 
recover  the  other  man.  He,  therefore,  went  on  board 
with  the  provisions,  and  shortly  afterwards  the  two 
clerks  were  set  at  liberty. 

The  governor  now  consulted  with  the  agent  con- 
cerning the  execution  of  the  law  which  obliged  him 
to  detain,  till  the  decision  of  the  head  government 
was  known,  any  foreign  vessel  which  came  too  near,  or 
committed  any  violent  or  illegal  act  on  the  coast.  The 
agent  told  him  plainly  that  he  did  not  think  the  Japa- 
nese strong  enough  to  detain  the  frigate ;  but  he 
advised  him  to  try  to  occupy  the  captain's  attention 
until  a  number  of  native  ships,  loaded  with  stones, 
could  be  sunk  in  the  narrow  passage  through  which 
the  frigate  must  proceed  to  sea.  The  Japanese  harbor 
master  thought  that  this  could  be  done,  and  received 
orders  to  make  the  necessary  preparations.  Another 
supply  of  fresh  water  was  promised  to  the  frigate  to 
detain  her  while  a  favorable  wind  was  blowing. 

The  next  morning  the  daimio  of  Omura  arrived  at 

the  head  of  his  samurai,  and  proposed  to  the  governor 

.  to  burn  the  frigate  by  attacking  her  with  three  hundred 


i84 

boats,  filled  with  straw  and  reeds ;  he  himself  offered  to 
lead  the  attack.  But  while  they  were  consulting,  the 
frigate  weighed  anchor,  and  sailed  out  of  the  harbor. 

Were  the  governor  and  the  officials  of  Nagasaki  in 
any  way  responsible  for  this  incident,  or  could  they  be 
blamed  at  all  for  the  course  they  had  taken  ?  Accord- 


Main  street,  Tokyo 

ing  to  our  ideas  they  were  absolutely  innocent,  but  the 
Japanese  law  said  otherwise.  The  rules  and  laws  of 
the  government  had  been  broken,  and  those  who  had 
not  prevented  or  punished  this,  must  die.  Within  half 
an  hour  after  the  frigate's  departure,  the  governor  had 
redeemed  himself  from  a  severer  fate  by  committing 
hara-kiri.  The  officers  of  the  fortress,  who  had  been 


i85 

guilty  of  neglect  of  duty,  followed  his  example.  These 
men  were  of  the  clan  of  Hizen,  and  their  daimio,  who 
was  actually  residing  in  Yedo  at  the  time,  was  punished 
with  one  hundred  days'  imprisonment  for  the  negligence 
of  his  samurai.  Such  was  the  law,  and  sufferers  as  well 
as  others  consented  and  approved. 

The  next  attempt  by  the  English  was  made  in  1813. 
Great  Britain  had  seized  the  Dutch  East  Indies,  and 
Sir  Stamford  Raffles  had  been  appointed  governor  gen- 
eral of  Java.  He  decided  to  capture  the  profitable 
Japanese  trade  for  England,  and  did  not  expect  any 
difficulties,  because  the  Dutch  at  Nagasaki  were  igno- 
rant of  the  changes  that  had  occurred  during  the 
past  years.  The  seas  were  controlled  by  English  ves- 
sels, and  several  years  had  passed  without  the  appear- 
ance of  the  usual  Dutch  trader,  hence  the  general  agent 
was  very  much  pleased  when  two  vessels,  flying  the 
Dutch  flag,  and  showing  the  private  signal,  entered  the 
harbor. 

As  soon  as  they  had  anchored,  a  letter  was  sent 
ashore,  announcing  the  arrival  of  a  former  general 
agent,  who  had  come  to  replace  the  agent  in  charge. 
The  latter,  without  any  suspicion,  sent  an  officer  and 
a  clerk  on  board.  The  clerk  returned  and  reported  that 
he  could  not  quite  understand  what  was  going  on,  but 
that  he  feared  everything  was  not  right.  He  had,  to  be 
sure,  recognized  the  former  general  agent,  and  also  the 
Dutch  captain  of  the  ship,  but  the  crew  spoke  English, 
and  the  new  general  agent  had  refused  to  deliver  his 
credentials,  except  to  the  agent  in  person.  That  gentle- 
man thought  naturally  that  the  ship  might  be  an  Ameri- 


1 86 

can  vessel  engaged  by  the  Dutch,  as  had  been  the  case 
before,  and  decided  upon  going  aboard. 

There  the  former  general  agent  handed  him  a  letter, 
which,  however,  he  declined  to  open  until  he  was  in  his 
office.  Both  gentlemen  thereupon  went  ashore  to  the 
office,  and  when  the  letter  was  opened,  the  bewildered 
agent,  who  for  four  years  had  heard  nothing  of  the 
world  beyond  Nagasaki,  read  about  the  changes  that 
had  taken  place.  The  letter  informed  him  that  the 
former  general  agent  had  been  appointed  his  successor 
with  the  title  of  Commissary  in  Japan,  and  was  signed 
"  Raffles,  Lieutenant  Governor  of  Java,  and  its  depend- 
encies." 

"  Raffles  !    Who  is  Raffles  ?"  asked  the  puzzled  agent. 

His  former  friend  now  explained  that  Java  had  been 
captured  by  the  English;  that  Holland  no  longer 
existed  as  an  independent  nation,  but  had  become  a 
part  of  the  French  empire,  and  that  he,  the  former 
general  agent,  and  an  Englishman,  Dr.  Ainslie,  had 
been  appointed  by  the  British  government  as  commis- 
sioners in  Japan. 

The  Dutch  agent  did  not  hesitate  as  soon  as  he  was 
in  possession  of  these  facts.  He  refused  absolutely  to 
obey  the  orders  conveyed  in  the  letter,  stating  that  they 
came  from  a  colony  in  possession  of  the  enemy ;  that 
Japan  was  in  no  way  a  dependency  of  Java,  nor  was  she 
at  all  affected  by  any  capitulation  into  which  the  Dutch 
in  Java  might  have  entered  with  the  English. 

The  attempt  was  foolish  in  the  extreme.  The  ships 
were  unarmed,  and  if  the  agent  had  informed  the  gov- 
ernor, or  suffered  the  secret  to  leak  out,  short  shrift 


i87 

would  have  been  given  to  their  English  crews.  For 
the  affair  of  the  Phaeton  was  still  fresh  in  the  memory 
of  the  Japanese,  and  they  were  anxious  to  obtain  re* 
venge.  The  agent  hated  the  English,  who  had  caused 
such  severe  losses  to  his  countrymen ;  but  the  old 
general  agent  was  his  friend  and  patron,  and  the  Dutch 
agent  agreed  to  keep  his  own  counsel  upon  certain  con- 
ditions benefiting  his  countrymen.  These  were  agreed 
to.  The  cargoes  of  the  two  vessels  were  delivered  in 
the  usual  manner ;  the  vessels  were  loaded  with  copper, 
and  the  English  sailed  away  without  having  aroused 
the  suspicions  of  the  Japanese. 

The  following  year  Lieutenant  Governor  Raffles  made 
another  attempt  to  wield  influence  over  Japan,  but  it 
failed  completely.  In  1818,  Captain  Gordon  of  the 
British  navy  sailed  up  Yedo  Bay  and  made  a  formal 
request  to  be  allowed  to  return  with  a  cargo,  for  the 
purpose  of  trading.  This  request  was  politely  but 
firmly  refused.  The  captain  was  treated  with  the 
greatest  kindness  and  good  will,  provisions  were  offered 
him,  and  anything  of  which  he  might  be  in  need  ;  but 
he  was  given  to  understand  that  only  two  nations,  the. 
Dutch  and  the  Chinese,  were  permitted  to  trade  with 
Japan,  and  only  at  Nagasaki. 

In  the  year  1831,  a  Japanese  junk,  blown  off  the 
coast  into  the  Pacific  Ocean,  after  drifting  about  for  a 
long  time,  went  ashore  near  the  mouth  of  the  Columbia 
River.  The  castaways  were  kindly  treated,  and  in  1835 
were  taken  to  Macao,  a  Portuguese  settlement  in  China, 
where  they  were  cared  for  by  the  American  and  English 
residents.  It  was  decided  to  seize  this  opportunity  to 


188 

open  intercourse  with  Japan.  An  American  merchant- 
man, the  Morrison,  well  equipped  for  the  purpose,  was 
engaged,  and  her  ^arms  and  ammunition  were  left  behind 
in  token  of  her  peaceable  intentions. 

It  was  thought  by  the  promoters  of  this  enterprise  that 
the  return  of  shipwrecked  fellow-countrymen  would  be 
appreciated.  They  did  not  know  of  the  cruel  Japanese 


In  Yedo  Bay 

law:  "All  Japanese  who  return  from  abroad,  shall  be 
put  to  death."  With  a  medical  missionary  on  board,  the 
Morrison  left  Macao,  and  arrived  without  accident  in 
Yedo  Bay.  After  she  had  anchored,  she  was  visited 
by  officers  from  the  shore,  who  carefully  examined  into 
her  strength.  When  they  discovered  that  she  was 
wholly  unarmed,  they  showed  the  greatest  insolence 


1 89 

and  contempt,  and  the  following  morning  opened  fire 
upon  her.  She  was  compelled  to  weigh  anchor  in  a 
hurry,  and,  leaving  this  bay,  sailed  westward,  anchor- 
ing off  Kagoshima  (kah-goh'-shee-mah),  in  the  island  of 
Kiushiu. 

Here  one  of  the  passengers,  Mr.  C.  W.  King,  a  New 
York  merchant,  decided  to  open  negotiations  with  the 
emperor  (regent).  He  prepared  a  paper  in  which  he 
said :  — 

"  The  American  vessels  sail  faster  than  those  of 
other  nations.  If  permitted  to  have  intercourse  with 
Japan,  they  will  always  communicate  the  latest  intelli- 
gence. .  .  .  Our  countrymen  have  not  yet  visited  your 
honorable  country,  but  only  know  that,  in  old  times,  the 
merchants  of  all  nations  were  admitted  to  your  harbors. 
Afterwards,  having  transgressed  the  law,  they  were 
restricted  or  expelled.  Now  we,  coming  for  the  first 
time,  and  not  having  done  wrong,  request  permission  to 
carry  on  a  friendly  intercourse  on  the  ancient  footing." 

The  natives  of  Kiushiu  appeared  well  disposed  and 
even  friendly ;  but,  after  some  time,  striped  canvas 
cloths  were  being  stretched  along  the  shore.  The 
rescued  Japanese  told  their  American  friends  that  this 
meant  mischief ;  that  cannon  were  being  placed,  and 
that  firing  would  soon  commence.  The  anchor  was 
weighed,  and  when  the  vessel  sailed,  a  battery  opened 
upon  her.  The  plan  was  therefore  abandoned,  and  the 
Morrison  returned  to  Macao. 

In  1845  Nagasaki  was  visited,  first  by  the  British 
frigate  Samarang,  Captain  Sir  Edward  Belcher,  and 
later  by  Admiral  Cecille  (say-seel)  in  the  French  ship 


Ctiopatre  (clay-oh-pahtr).  Both  were  politely  received, 
but  secured  no  advantage  beyond  a  liberal  supply  of 
provisions  and  water.  Indeed,  they  were  given  to 
understand  that  these  visits  were  not  welcome;  that 
Japan  asked  no  favors,  and  desired  none.  But  when  a 
Japanese,  in  his  private  capacity,  expressed  an  opinion, 
a  thing  not  to  be  thought  of  unless  he  was  sure  to  be 
out  of  earshot  of  any  of  his  countrymen,  he  would 
declare  that  the  people  were  in  favor  of  opening  their 
country  to  foreigners.  It  was  indeed  the  government 
that  insisted  upon  maintaining  the  seclusion  as  begun 
by  lyeyasu,  and  strengthened  and  made  more  burden- 
some by  his  successors.  The  regents,  or  those  who 
ruled  in  their  names,  were  afraid  that  intercourse  with 
foreigners  would  cause  their  downfall,  —  and  they  were 
right,  as  we  shall  soon  see. 


THE   UNITED   STATES   SEEKS  TRADE 
WITH   JAPAN 

NEW  BEDFORD,  Massachusetts,  had  begun  to 
send  whaling  vessels  into  the  Pacific  Ocean,  and 
Japan  was  so  conveniently  situated  to  obtain  provisions 
after  the  long  passage  over  the  Atlantic  and  Pacific, 
that  the  President  decided  to  make  an  effort  to  enter 
into  a  treaty  of  friendship  with  that  government. 
Accordingly  President  James  K.  Polk  commissioned 
Commodore  Riddle  to  go  to  Yedo  with  two  ships,  the 
Columbus,  a  line-of-battle  ship,  and  the  Vincennes,  a. 
sloop  of  war,  to  deliver  a  letter  to  His  Imperial  Majesty 
of  Japan.  This  letter  was  in  substance  as  follows  :  — 

"  I  send  you,  by  this  letter,  an  envoy  of  my  own 
appointment,  an  officer  of  high  rank  in  his  country, 
who  is  no  missionary  of  religion.  He  goes  by  my 
command  to  bear  to  you  my  greeting  and  good  wishes, 
and  to  promote  friendship  and  commerce  between  the 
two  countries. 

"  You  know  that  the  United  States  of  America  now 
extend  from  sea  to  sea;  that  the  great  countries  of 
Oregon  and  California  are  parts  of  the  United  States ; 
and  that  from  these  countries,  which  are  rich  in  gold 
and  silver  and  precious  stones,  our  steamers  can  reach 
191 


the  shores  of  your  happy  land  in  less  than  twenty 
days. 

"  Many  of  our  ships  will  now  pass  every  year,  and 
some,  perhaps,  every  week,  between  California  and 
China ;  these  ships  must  pass  along  the  coasts  of  your 
empire;  storms  and  winds  may  cause  them  to  be 
wrecked  on  your  shores,  and  we  ask  and  expect  from 
your  friendship  and  your  greatness,  kindness  for  our 
men  and  protection  for  our  property.  We  wish  that 
our  people  may  be  permitted  to  trade  with  your  people ; 
but  we  shall  not  authorize  them  to  break  any  law  of 
your  empire. 

"  Our  object  is  friendly  commercial  intercourse,  and 
nothing  more.  You  may  have  productions  which  we 
should  be  glad  to  buy,  and  we  have  productions  which 
might  suit  your  people. 

"Your  empire  contains  a  great  abundance  of  coal; 
this  is  an  article  which  our  steamers,  in  going  from 
California  to  China,  must  use.  They  would  be  glad 
that  a  harbor  in  your  empire  should  be  appointed  to 
which  coal  might  be  brought,  and  where  they  might 
always  be  able  to  purchase  it. 

"  In  many  other  respects  commerce  between  your 
empire  and  our  country  would  be  useful  to  both.  Let 
us  consider  well  what  new  interests  may  arise  from 
these  recent  events,  which  have  brought  our  two 
countries  so  near  together,  and  what  purpose  of 
friendly  amity  and  intercourse  this  ought  to  inspire 
in  the  hearts  of  those  who  govern  both  countries." 

The  commodore  arrived  at  the  entrance  of  Yedo  Bay 
in  July,  1846.  Before  his  vessels  had  fairly  anchored, 


193 

they  were  surrounded  by  about  four  hundred  guard 
boats,  which,  however,  showed  no  sign  of  hostility, 
since  the  men,  of  whom  each  boat  contained  from  five 
to  twenty,  were  mostly  unarmed.  An  inferior  officer 
climbed  up  the  side  of  the  Vincennes,  and  proceeded 
to  place  a  stick  with  some  Chinese  symbol  on  it,  at  the 
bow,  and  a  similar  one  at  the  stern.  The  captain  con- 
strued this  act  to  mean  taking  possession  of  his  ship 
and  therefore  at  once  ordered  the  sticks  removed,  to 
which  the  Japanese  offered  no  objection. 

The  letter  was  now  given  to  one  of  the  officers,  and 
an  interpreter  came  aboard  who  spoke  Dutch  fluently. 
There  was  no  attempt  to  communicate  with  the  shore, 
but  the  officials  who  came  on  board  gave  no  evidence  of 
dislike  for  foreigners.  Like  all  Japanese  of  the  samurai 
class,  they  were  studiously  polite,  and  exceedingly  anxious 
to  obtain  information.  On  the  seventh  day  an  answer 
came  from  Yedo.  It  was  brief,  but  to  the  point :  "  No 
trade  can  be  allowed  with  any  foreign  nation,  except 
Holland."  What  could  Commodore  Biddle  do?  He 
had  no  instructions  to  employ  force,  and  therefore  was 
compelled  to  return  without  having  accomplished  any- 
thing. 

But  the  government  in  Washington  did  not  despair. 
A  Japanese  junk,  on  the  way  from  Yedo  to  Osaka,  was 
caught  in  a  storm  and  blown  out  into  the  Pacific  Ocean. 
The  poor  sailors  did  not  know  where  they  were,  and 
for  three  weeks  drifted  at  the  mercy  of  wind  and 
waves.  At  last  one  of  those  strange  vessels,  such  as 
they  had  sometimes  seen  at  Nagasaki,  was  sighted, 
and  they  made  signals  of  distress.  The  vessel  hove 

STO.  OF  JAPAN  —  IJ 


194 

to ;  the  Japanese  launched  their  boat,  rowed  to  the 
ship,  and  were  taken  on  board,  where  they  were  very 
kindly  treated.  This  ship  was  bound  for  San  Fran- 
cisco, and  when  she  arrived,  the  United  States  officers 
were  told  of  the  passengers  taken  up  in  mid-ocean. 
They  communicated  with  the  government  in  Washing- 
ton, and  received  orders  to  take  care  of  the  Japanese 
until  they  could  be  sent  back  to  their  country. 

Among  these  sailors  was  a  fourteen-year-old  boy. 
He  learned  very  quickly  to  speak  English,  and  became 
a  great  pet  of  the  naval  officers  at  Mare  Island,  Cali- 
fornia. At  last,  when  he  knew  our  language,  he  found 
a  friend  in  a  gentleman  of  San  Francisco,  who  had  him 
educated,  and  took  him  to  Baltimore  and  Washington. 
As  the  boy  grew  up,  he  attended  Sunday  school  and 
became  a  Christian,  and  when  he  was  old  enough,  he 
took  out  his  naturalization  papers;  that  is,  he  declared 
that  thereafter  he  would  obey  the  laws  of  the  United 
States,  and  was  made  an  American  citizen.  He  after- 
wards returned  to  Japan,  where  he  was  very  useful  as 
an  interpreter,  and  could  explain  American  institutions 
and  laws  to  the  officers. 

In  1849  Commodore  Geisinger  sent  the  Preble,  under 
Commander  Glynn,  to  Japan  to  demand  the  release  of 
some  American  seamen  who  hai^been  cast  ashore  from 
the  wreck  of  the  whaler  Lagodi?  When  the  Preble  ap- 
proached Japan,  she  was  warned  to  return,  by  a  gre"at 
display  of  batteries  "  in  petticoats,"  as  the  sailors  called 
them,  because  lines  of  striped  canvas  cloth,  stretched 
one  behind  the  other,  were  used  to  deaden  the  shot, 
as  well  as  to  conceal  the  gunners.  When  the  Preble 


195 

paid  no  attention  to  these  warlike  demonstrations,  but 
quietly  continued  on  her  course,  a  paper,  attached  to 
the  end  of  a  long  bamboo  stick,  and  containing  some 
directions  in  English,  was  offered  to  the  captain,  who, 
however,  declined  to  accept  it,  but  sailed  on. 

Then  an  interpreter  came  on  board,  and  ordered  the 
captain  to  anchor  at  a  certain  spot.  But  the  captain 
showed  him  a  chart,  and  pointed  out  the  spot  where 
he  had  decided  to  stop.  Now  some  officers  of  inferior 
rank  came  on  board  to  ask  about  the  captain's  busi- 
ness, but  he  refused  to  receive  them.  At  last  officers 
of  a  high  rank  came  on  board,  and  they  were  in- 
formed of  the  purpose  of  his  visit.  They  said  that 
they  wanted  time  to  be  able  to  consult  with  the  emperor 
(regent).  But  the  commander  of  the  Preble  answered 
that  he  would  give  them  just  so  many  days,  and  no 
more.  The  Japanese  understood  the  threat,  and  in  a 
very  short  time  the  American  sailors  were  sent  aboard. 
The  Japanese  then  offered  to  supply  the  ship  with 
provisions  and  water,  but  as  they  refused  payment, 
the  American  captain  very  properly  declined  to  accept 
their  offer. 


HOW  PERRY  SECURED  A  TREATY 

WHEN  Commander  James  Glynn  returned  to 
Washington  in  1851,  after  his  visit  to  Nagasaki 
in  the  Preble,  he  began  to  try  to  interest  the  President 
to  make  another  effort  to  open  Japan,  and  offered  his 
services.  But  when  the  matter  was  taken  into  con- 
sideration, it  became  clear  that  a  few  ships  would 
not  be  able  to  accomplish  anything  peaceably,  and 
that,  to  insure  success,  it  was  necessary  to  send  an 
imposing  fleet.  When,  finally,  it  was  decided  that 
the  United  States  should  act,  Commodore  Aulick  was 
selected  to  go  to  the  capital  of  the  Tycoon,  and  to 
present  a  letter  from  the  President  to  "the  emperor 
of  Japan." 

Commodore  Aulick  sailed  from  Norfolk,  Virginia, 
June  1851,  in  the  Susquekanna,  and  after  stopping  at 
the  capital  of  Brazil,  continued  his  voyage  to  China. 
Soon  after  he  had  arrived  at  Hong  Kong,  he  received 
orders  to  return  home,  and  Commodore  Matthew  G. 
Perry,  brother  of  the  hero  who  upheld  the  honor  of  the 
American  flag  on  Lake  Erie,  was  appointed  to  replace 
him. 

There  had  been,  before  this,  some  talk  about  Perry's 
undertaking  this  mission,  and  he  had  spent  considerable 
196 


197 

time  in  reading  all  the  books  on  Japan  he  could  find. 
From  what  he  had  gleaned  of  the  Japanese  character, 
Perry  felt  confident  that  with  a  strong  force  under  his 
command,  he  could  awe  the  Japanese  into  making  con- 
cessions, whereas  a  small  fleet  would  probably  be 
treated  with  contempt.  He  was  promised  twelve 
vessels  with  which  to  proceed  to  Yedo  Bay,  and  there- 
upon began  to  make  preparations. 

First  he  arranged  to  have  ships  laden  with  coal,  dis- 
patched to  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope  and  Mauritius 
(maw-rish'-i-us),  that  his  steamers  might  obtain  there 
a  fresh  supply  of  fuel.  Next  he  began  to  collect  speci- 
mens of  American  industries  and  inventions.  A  firm 
in  Philadelphia  furnished  a  small  locomotive,  and  rails 
to  be  laid  down  in  Japan.  He  also  took  with  him  a 
telegraph  and  other  new  inventions  with  which  you  are 
familiar  enough,  but  which  could  not  fail  to  impress  a 
people  so  fond  of  examining  and  appropriating  any- 
thing new  and  useful.  Finally  the  letter  was  prepared. 
You  may  be  sure  that  it  was  no  ordinary  letter,  but 
an  imposing  state  paper.  It  was  locked  in  a  gold  box 
that  cost  a  thousand  dollars,  and  this  was  securely  hid- 
den in  a  rosewood  casket  with  golden  hinges. 

The  commodore  waited  for  a  long  time  for  the  ships 
that  had  been  promised  him,  but  at  last  he  grew  tired  of 
delays,  and  on  November  24,  1852,  sailed  from  Norfolk 
in  the  Mississippi.  After  stopping  at  several  places  on 
her  journey,  the  Mississippi  anchored  at  Hong  Kong, 
April  6,  1853,  and  shortly  afterwards,  accompanied  by 
the  Plymouth,  Saratoga,  and  Supply,  left  for  Shanghai, 
arriving  May  4.  Perry  now  went  on  board  the  Sus- 


1 98 

quehanna,  and  after  visiting  the  Loo  Choo  and  other 
islands,  sailed  for  Yedo  Bay  on  July  2,  1853.  Of  the 
twelve  vessels  promised  to  him,  only  six  had  put  in  an 
appearance,  and  as  he  sent  back  the  Supply  and  the 
Caprice,  the  "imposing  force"  consisted  of  only  four 
ships,  the  Mississippi,  SnsqueJianna,  Plymouth,  and 
Saratoga,  of  which  two  were  sailing  vessels.  It  was, 


The  Mississippi  in  a  typhoon 

therefore,  not  the  force  displayed  by  the  government 
of  the  United  States,  which  impressed  the  regent's 
officers ;  but,  as  we  shall  see,  the  calm  and  proud  bear- 
ing of  the  commodore. 

At  last  the  goal  of  the  expedition,  Yedo  Bay,  was 
reached,  and  in  the  afternoon  of  July  8,  the  vessels 
anchored.  The  order  was  given  :  "  No  one  allowed  to 
go  ashore,  no  person  from  the  shore  to  be  allowed  on 


199 

board,"  and  it  was  not  long  before  the  wisdom  of  this 
order  became  apparent.  The  foreign  captains  who  had 
up  to  this  time  visited  Yedo  Bay  had  taken  orders  from 
the  first  officer  showing  the  two  swords  of  the  samurai, 
and  the  Yedo  government  had  begun  to  look  with  con- 
tempt upon  foreigners  who  would  submissively  obey  the 
orders  of  one  of  its  lower  officials.  But  on  this  occasion 
no  respect  was  paid  to  any  individual  before  his  rank 
was  known.  Even  the  vice  governor  was  refused  admit- 
tance !  And  not  until  he  stated,  without  regard  to 
truth,  that  the  laws  of  Japan  forbade  the  governor 
from  going  aboard  a  foreign  ship,  was  he  permitted 
to  put  his  foot  on  deck. 

He  wanted  to  see  the  commander  at  once  !  Ah,  yes, 
but  the  commander  was  too  great  a  person  to  be  seen  by 
so  insignificant  a  man  as  Mr.  Vice  Governor.  "Tell 
him,  then,  to  go  back  to  Nagasaki !  "  "  Oh  !  but  the 
Commander  is  too  great  a  man  to  be  told  such  a  thing. 
Mr.  Vice  Governor  could  be  sure  that  this  Great  Man 
would  not  listen  to  such  talk.  And,  by  the  bye,  Mr. 
Vice  Governor,  you  had  better  send  those  guard  boats 
away  from  these  ships,  or  the  Great  Man  might  get 
angry,  and  then  .  .  ."  The  gravity  of  the  speaker 
impressed  the  native  visitor.  This  line  of  conduct  he 
could  understand.  It  was  in  this  manner  that  a  power- 
ful Japanese  officer  would  have  acted.  His  report 
brought  the  governor  himself  the  next  day  in  all  the 
pomp  of  lacquered  helmet,  two  swords,  silks,  etc.,  despite 
the  vice  governor's  colored  statement  of  the  day  before. 

Down  on  their  knees,  with  heads  bent  to  touch  the 
bottom  of  their  boats,  were  the  attendants  of  this 


200 

mighty  person,  as  he  ascended  the  gangway  of  the 
"  fire  ship."  But  even  he  was  not  allowed  a  personal 
interview  with  the  mysterious  commander.  "Go  back 
to  Nagasaki  ?  He  had  not  come  for  that  purpose. 
He  had  a  letter  to  the  emperor  in  Yedo,  and  to  Yedo 
he  would  go."  "Would  he  wait  four  days  so  that  the 
emperor  could  be  appealed  to,  and  an  answer  be 
received  ? "  "  No,  he  would  consent  to  wait  three 
days,  but  not  a  moment  longer ;  and  in  the  meanwhile 
his  boats  would  do  some  surveying."  "  No,  that  can't 
be  done.  No  surveying  under  any  circumstances!" 
"Ah,  but  the  Great  Man  has  ordered  it,  and  who  will 
oppose  him  ? " 

The  Japanese  governor  went  ashore,  convinced  that 
these  were  the  most  intractable  foreigners  he  had  ever 
met,  and  that  this  mysterious  •  Great  Man  must  be  very 
great  indeed,  to  have  things  all  his  own  way ! 

The  next  day  there  was  another  visit.  But  the 
governor  was  told  that  no  strangers  would  be  allowed 
on  board,  not  even  the  emperor  himself.  It  was 
Sunday,  and  Commodore  Perry  was  not  the  man  to 
break  the  Sabbath  for  slight  causes.  The  blunt  state- 
ment about  the  regent  —  for  we  know  now  that  the 
regent  in  Yedo  had  no  right  to  the  title  of  emperor 
—  increased  the  respect  of  the  Japanese;  and  it  was 
only  in  a  half-hearted  way,  and  without  any  hope  that 
they  would  be  able  to  frighten  the  Great  Man,  that 
they  began  to  throw  up  earthworks,  and  to  collect  an 
army  of  knights,  clothed  in  rusty  armor  of  the  Middle 
Ages. 

It  was  unwelcome  news,  brought  to  the  Yedo  govern- 


201 

ment,  when  runners  arrived  with  a  detailed  account  of 
the  four  vessels  and  the  mysterious  person  in  command. 
It  was  evident  that  something  must  be  done  at  once. 
But  the  foreigners  with  whom  the  "  descendants  of  the 
gods "  had  dealt  so  far,  had  been  satisfied  to  confer 
with  petty  officers,  and  custom  could  not  be  discarded 


Delivery  of  the  President's  letter 

at  once.      At  last  it  was  decided  to  send  two  squires 
to  take  charge  of  the  letter  to  the  regent. 

And  so  the  governor  received  orders  to  communicate 
to  the  Great  Man  that  the  "emperor"  would  commis- 
sion two  princes  to  receive  the  letter  on  shore.  You 
see  that  Perry  had  well  understood  the  Japanese.  They 
thought  these  two  squires  were  good  enough  princes  to 
deal  with  barbarians.  But  Perry  was  not  to  be  outdone. 
He  did  not  know  that  these  were  sham  princes,  but 


202 

he  gave  the  governor  to  understand  that  it  was  not 
meet  for  an  officer  of  his  sublime  rank  to  go  so  far 
from  the  anchorage  in  a  boat,  and  so  he  moved  his 
steamers  within  convenient  range  of  the  place  ap- 
pointed. And  now  the  time  came  when  oriental  pomp 
was  to  be  rivaled  by  occidental  gold  lace. 

Through  the  three  hundred  sailors  and  marines, 
drawn  up  as  on  parade,  marched  the  commodore 
with  his  staff.  And  here  again  he  had  taken  the 
only  means  to  awe  his  unwilling  hosts.  They  gazed 
upon  the  two  powerful  sailors  carrying  the  Stars  and 
Stripes,  upon  the  two  boys  bearing  that  mysterious 
red  casket,  and  upon  the  two  stalwart  negroes,  acting 
as  guard.  The  Americans  entered  the  temporary  build- 
ing erected  for  the  purpose,  and  after  the  casket  was 
opened  and  the  letter  displayed,  it  was  handed  to  one 
of  the  sham  princes,  who  was  introduced  as  "  The  First 
Councilor  of  the  Empire."  Then  a  formal  reply  was 
delivered  by  the  interpreter,  to  this  effect :  "  We  have 
received  the  letter  of  the  President  of  the  United 
States  of  North  America.  We  have  let  you  know  that 
we  don't  care  about  having  foreigners  here,  and  if  you 
want  anything  from  us  you  must  go  to  Nagasaki.  Your 
mysterious  Great  Man  made  us  believe  that  he  would 
be  insulted  if  we  did  not  receive  the  letter  at  this  place. 
Very  well,  we  have  done  so.  The  answer  we  will  give 
you  later,  and  now  you  may  go  home." 

"All  right,"  said  Commodore  Perry,  cheerfully. 
"  And  when  shall  I  call  for  an  answer  ?  Don't  be 
too  anxious  to  see  me  soon !  Shall  we  say  April 
or  May  next  year?"  And  he  returned  on  board, 


203 

leaving  the  "princes"  convinced  that  they  had  not 
yet  seen  the  last  of  him. 

While  Perry  was  in  Hong  Kong,  where  his  ships 
were  being  repaired,  he  received  an  official  communi- 
cation through  the  Dutch  at  Deshima  that  the  "  em- 
peror "  was  dead,  and  that  it  would  be  well  if  he 
postponed  his  promised  call.  But  the  commodore  had 
obtained  such  strong  evidence  that  the  Japenese  did 
not  always  stick  to  the  truth,  and  could  even  invent 
facts  on  occasion,  that  he  did  not  believe  the  report, 
but,  suspecting  some  trick,  rather  hurried  his  prepara- 
tions. 

And  yet,  the  news  received  was  correct,  except  that 
it  was  not  the  emperor  but  the  regent  who  was  dead. 
This,  however,  did  not  materially  alter  the  circum- 
stances. All  that  the  Japanese  hoped  for  was  delay ; 
but  Perry  spoiled  their  plans  by  his  prompt  action. 

In  January,  1854,  the  fleet,  consisting  of  the  Mace- 
donian, Vandalia,  Lexington,  SoutJiainpton,  Saratoga, 
and  Supply,  with  the  steamers  Susquehanna,  Mississ- 
ippi, and  Powhatan,  once  more  left  for  Japan.  The 
commodore  again  stopped  at  the  Loo  Choo  Islands, 
so  as  to  give  the  sailing  vessels  a  good  start,  and  on 
Monday,  the  i3th  of  February,  the  fleet  moved  up 
Yedo  Bay,  the  steamers  towing  the  sailing  vessels,  until 
they  came  within  about  seven  miles  from  where  Yoko- 
hama now  stands.  This  was  only  about  twenty-five 
miles  from  Yedo,  and  so  unpleasantly  close  that  the 
regent's  government  decided :  "Well,  if  these  persistent 
people  must  have  a  treaty,  we  cannot  help  ourselves ; 
only  we  must  grant  as  little  as  possible."  And  now  the 


2O4 

play  of  the  mysterious  Great  Man  was  to  be  acted  once 
more. 

"  Where  would  the  Great  Man  prefer  the  negotiations 
to  take  place  ? "  they  asked,  mentioning  two  places  at 
a  great  distance  from  the  capital.  The  reply,  after 
consulting  with  the  invisible  commodore,  was:  — 

"  Never  mind  about  those  places.  The  spot  oppo- 
site us  will  do  as  well  as  any  other." 


Landing  of  the  Americans  at  Uraga 

This  answer  did  not  suit.  The  Japanese  tried 
flattery,  coaxing,  little  presents,  all  to  no  avail.  Finally 
they  were  told  that  the  Great  Man  would  very  much 
like  to  have  matters  arranged  by  February  21  ;  that, 
in  fact,  he  would  take  no  refusal.  And  so  the  Japa- 
nese sighed :  "  Well,  it  can't  be  helped  !  But  where 
will  you  have  it  ?  "  "  Oh  !  "  replied  the  commodore, 
still  invisible,  "  I  think  that  Yedo  would  be  the  best 


205 

place."  But  that  would  not  do  at  all.  Perry  sent  some 
of  his  men  ashore  at  Uraga  (Oo-rah-gah)  to  confer  about 
a  meeting  place  and  waited  until  February  24 ;  then  he 
advanced  another  eight  miles,  anchoring  a  little  be- 
yond Yokohama.  Afraid  that  he  would  go  still  nearer 
to  the  capital,  the  government  yielded,  and  the  negotia- 
tions were  held  at  Yokohama,  which  is  only  a  short  dis- 
tance from  Yedo. 


Regent's  barge 

This  time  the  commodore  landed  with  five  hundred 
well-armed  men,  and,  after  long  and  tedious  discussions, 
a  treaty  was  made  on  March  31,  1854.  By  the  terms 
of  the  treaty  American  ships  could  enter  the  harbors 
of  Hakodate  in  Hokkaido,  and  Shimoda  (shee-moh- 
dah)  in  Hondo,  for  coal,  water,  and  provisions,  and 


206 

their  sailors  would  be  kindly  treated.  There  was  also 
an  article  promising  trading  facilities  as  well  as  several 
other  privileges.  And  now  came  the  exchange  of  pres- 
ents. Perry  presented  the  telegraph,  with  one  mile  of 
wire,  the  little  locomotive  and  car,  rifles,  guns,  clocks, 


Perry's  meeting  with  the  regent's  commission 

sewing  machines,  maps,  charts,  etc.,  and  the  Japanese 
gave  lacquer,  bronze,  porcelain,  ivory,  silk,  all  of  which 
you  may  see  in  the  Smithsonian  Institute,  at  Washing- 
ton. Perry  then  returned  home,  having  succeeded  where 
so  many  had  failed. 


JAPAN    IN    PERRY'S  TIME 

WE  must  now  look  at  Japan  as  it  was  when 
Commodore  Perry  was  on  his  way  to  tell  its 
government :  "  You  can  no  longer  refuse  the  hand  of 
friendship  we  are  holding  out  to  you.  It  is  absurd  to 
suppose  that,  because  of  a  mere  whim,  our  ships  will 
avoid  your  shores.  We  do  not  propose  to  take  any 
advantage  of  you;  but  we  ask -you  to  sell  us  what  we 
need,  and  you  can,  if  you  wish,  buy  from  us  what  you 
may  need.  At  any  rate,  we  do  not  purpose  to  stay 
away  from  your  country  simply  because  you  would  like 
us  to."  Perry,  as  we  have  seen,  was  the  right  man  to 
carry  this  message. 

For  two  hundred  and  fifty  years  the  descendants  of 
lyeyasu  had  ruled  over  Japan.  During  all  this  time 
there  had  been  peace  at  home  and  abroad,  owing  to  the 
strict  laws,  the  perfect  system  of  spying,  and  the  exclu- 
sion of  foreigners.  The  people  worked  hard  and  made 
a  living ;  but  as  they  could  not  sell  in  the  markets 
abroad,  they  received  very  small  pay.  There  was,  how- 
ever, no  poverty,  that  is,  suffering  from  want ;  nor  was 
there  any  great  wealth.  If  the  people  had  enough  rice, 
vegetables,  fish,  and  clothing  to  cover  themselves,  what 
more  did  they  require  ?  Thus  the  great  masses  of  the 
207 


208 


people  were  coujtented  and  happy,  — but  how  about  the 
samurai  ?  I 

For  some  two  hundred  and  fifty  years  their  swords  had 
been  sheathed.  They  had  busied  themselves  with  the 
affairs  of  their  clans ;  but  that  did  not  occupy  all  their 
time.  To  be  sure,  they  could  pay  and  receive  calls 
from  their  friends,  and  show  their  intimate  knowledge 
of  the  ceremonies  inseparable  from  a  tea  party.  They 
knew  exactly  the  deference  due  to  a  person,  and  the 
number  of  compliments  he  was  entitled  to.  But  even 
the  acquisition  of  this  knowledge  left  them  consider- 
able leisure,  and  they  spent  it  in  reading. 

The  samurai  from  the  time  of  Nobunaga,  who,  as  we 
have  seen,  made  war  upon  the  ambitious  monks,  held 
Buddhism  in  contempt.  They  turned  to  the  study  of 
the  pure  Shinto  religion,  which  regards  the  Tenno  as 
divine  and  worships  the  ancestors  as  gods.  But  when 
they  began  to  study  the  history  of  their  country, 
when  they  understood  that  this  regent  in  Yedo,  before 
whom  they  were  compelled  to  bow,  was  only  a  usurper, 
and  that  the  Tenno,  and  the  Tenn6  only,  was  the  law- 
ful ruler  of  Japan,  they  looked  around  for  means  to 
deny  the  authority  of  the  regent. 

A  very  large  number  of  the  samurai  read  with  absorb- 
ing attention  the  history  of  Japan,  completed  under  the 
second  daimio  of  Mito,  who  was  a  descendant  of  lye- 
yasu ;  and  another  history  written  by  Rai  Sanyo  (rl- 
sahn-yoh),  wherein  it  was  shown  that  the  loyalty  of  the 
samurai  was  due  to  the  Tenno,  was  also  extensively 
studied.  The  reading  of  these  books  made  them  all  the 
more  impatient  of  the  Tokugawa  rule. 


2O9 

"  Are  we  less  brave  and  less  stout  than  our  fathers  ? " 
they  would  ask.  "  Why  must  our  swords  remain 
sheathed  ?  Who  is  responsible  for  these  long  years 
of  contemptible  peace?  Why  can  we  not  subdue  Korea, 
which  by  law  of  conquest  belongs  to  Japan  ? "  There 
was  deep  dissatisfaction  among  the  samurai,  and  while 
they  were  not  able  to  express  all  they  felt,  of  one  thing 
they  were  very  sure, — that  they  no  longer  wanted  the 
descendants  of  lyeyasu  to  rule  over  them. 

The  great  daimio  of  the  south,  those  of  Satsuma, 
Choshiu  (choh-shoo),  and  Tosa,  were  especially  hostile  to 
the  regent.  The  trade  with  Holland,  which  was  very 
profitable,  was  for  the  benefit  of  the  Yedo  government. 
Through  the  Hollanders,  the  regent  could  know  what 
was  passing  abroad ;  he  could  order  the  latest  guns  and 
cannon,  and  thereby  acquire  the  means  to  keep  the  dai- 
mio in  submission.  All  these  daimio  encouraged,  there- 
fore, the  reading  of  these  books,  and  urged  their  men 
to  arouse  the  Yamato  Damashii  (yah-mah-toh  dah-mah- 
shee-ee)  —  that  is,  the  Spirit  of  Old  Japan  —  among  the 
people. 

But  the  regent  in  Yedo  could  afford  to  laugh  at  all 
this  discontent  so  long  as  the  daimio  remained  divided 
among  themselves.  Even  if  the  most  powerful  among 
.them  should  dare  deny  his  authority,  eighty  thousand 
of  his  own  samurai  were  prepared  to  punish  a  rebel. 
And  besides,  the  loyal  daimio,  descendants  of  lyeyasu 
or  of  his  generals,  were  ready  to  take  up  arms  in  his 
defense.  There  was  only  the  fear  that  the  disaffected 
daimio  might  unite,  that  they  might  march  upon  Kyoto 
and  obtain  the  sacred  person  of  the  emperor,  —  then, 

STO.  OF  JAPAN  —  14 


210 

and  then  only,  would  there  be  an  end  to  the  Tokugawa 
rule. 

Kyoto  was  the  key  to  the  situation.  But  there  was  a 
strong  garrison  composed  of  the.  samurai  of  the  most 
loyal  clan,  guarding  the  palace,  and  the  admittance  to 
Kyoto  was  strictly  prohibited  to  any  of  the  southern 
daimio.  So  long  as  the  emperor  remained  in  the  power 
of  the  Tokugawa,  all  was  well.  The  court  nobles,  — 
who  and  what  were  they  ?  Paupers,  glad  enough  to  be 
fed  from  the  crumbs  of  the  regent's  bounty. 

But  how  about  the  regent  himself  ?  Was  he  the 
same  able,  self-reliant  man  that  lyeyasu,  the  founder 
of  the  house,  had  been  ?  No.  The  Tokugawa  had 
gone  the  way  of  all  the  rulers  of  Japan.  Seven  regents 
had  succeeded  from  the  direct  line,  and  then  successors 
had  been  adopted.  For  a  long  time  the  descendants  of 
lyeyasu  had  been  shadow  regents,  —  puppets  in  the 
hands  of  ambitious  prime  ministers,  who  trusted  to  their 
spies  to  maintain  their  power. 

Dissatisfaction  existed  everywhere.  But  while  the 
great  majority  of  samurai  would  have  been  well  pleased 
to  see  the  authority  restored  to  the  emperor,  the  ablest 
among  them  desired  to  be  his  personal  advisers;  in  other 
words,  they  wished  for  themselves  the  power  held  by 
the  Tokugawa.  Satsuma  thought  that  it  would  be  better, 
for  Japan  if  he  should  be  regent,  the  other  great  daimio 
had  probably  the  same  idea  regarding  themselves,  and 
their  kerai  (kay-ri),  or  councilors,  thought  how  much 
better  it  would  be  if  they  could  direct  the  affairs.  But 
neither  daimio  nor  samurai  had  any  idea  of  personal 
gain ;  they  honestly  believed  they  were  right.  And  they 


211 

would  have  been  pleased  to  accept  this  power  without 
any  salary,  except  just  enough  to  secure  the  absolute 
necessities  of  life  for  themselves  and  their  families. 

It  was  sure  to  go  hard  with  the  government  of  Yedo 
when  the  opportunity  for  action  came.  Hundreds  of 
samurai  were  ready  to  sever  the  connection  with  their 
clan  and  turn  ronin,  if  they  could  thereby  assist  in  over- 
turning the  Tokugawa.  What  cared  they  if  hara-kiri 
must  inevitably  follow  ?  They  were  prepared  for  it. 
Were  not  the  graves  of  the  forty-seven  free  lances  kept 
green  in  the  memory  of  the  people,  and  would  not  they 
also  be  celebrated  in  song  and  story?  What  greater 
desire  could  a  true  samurai  have  than  to  die  in  the 
service  of  his  clan  and  his  lord  ? 

Many  of  the  samurai  were  not  so  ignorant  as  they 
seemed.  Some  of  them  had  studied  Dutch ;  and 
although  all  the  books  on  board  a  Dutch  vessel 
arriving  at  Nagasaki  were  supposed  to  be  stored  in 
chests  and  kept  under  lock  and  key  in  possession  of 
the  regent's  officers,  to  be  returned  only  when  the  ship 
was  ready  to  sail,  this  did  not  prevent  the  inquisitive 
and  studious  Japanese  from  obtaining  possession  of 
some  of  them.  And  these  barbarian  vessels  that  were 
coming  so  repeatedly,  notwithstanding  the  regent's  pro- 
hibition, would  they  insist  upon  breaking  the  laws  of 
Japan  ?.  Was  it  not  true  that  the  king  of  Holland  had 
sent  a  letter,  advising  the  regent  to  enter  into  a  treaty 
with  these  hairy  (bearded)  strangers  ?  And  was  it  not 
true  also  that  these  same  barbarians  had  dared  invade 
the  soil  of  China,  and  compelled  that  great  empire 
to  grant  their  demands  ?  Would  they  also  dare  come 


212 

with  an  armed  force  to  sacred  Japan,  the  country  of 
the  gods,  and  profane  the  land  destined  for  the  Japa- 
nese ?  Or  would  the-Tokugawa  at  Yedo  repeat  the  dis- 
grace inflicted  upon  Japan  by  the  cowardly  Ashikaga  ? 
These  were  the  questions  that  agitated  the  samurai, 
those  four  hundred  thousand  men  who  had  been  and 
were  then  at  once  the  head  and  the  arms  of  the  coun- 
try, who  ruled  as  well  as  defended  it. 

They  were  thinking  and  watching.  They  felt  in- 
stinctively that  the  time  for  action  was  drawing  nigh ; 
and  all  of  them  were  sure  that  the  samurai  of  Japan 
would  be  able,  when  the  time  came,  to  give  a  lesson  to 
the  barbarians.  They  wished  to  have  their  coast  de- 
fenses strengthened,  and  requested  the  Yedo  govern- 
ment to  attend  to  this.  No  notice  was  taken  of  this 
request.  The  councilors  of  the  regent,  troubled  about 
affairs  at  home,  hoped  and  trusted  that  foreign  powers 
would  continue  to  respect  their  absolute  refusal  to  enter 
into  intercourse  with  them. 

Every  foreign  vessel  entering  the  Japanese  waters 
was  received  by  officers,  who  were  naturally  Tokugawa 
men ;  that  is,  men  belonging  to  the  clan  of  the  regent. 
And  while  many  of  them  were  in  favor  of  more  liberal 
measures,  they  were  loyal  to  those  who  stood  at  the 
head  of  their  clan,  and  were  prepared  to  carry  out  their 
orders.  Captains  of  such  foreign  vessels  could  not 
judge,  therefore,  of  the  actual  feeling  prevailing  among 
the  Japanese,  since  these  men  represented  only  the 
Tokugawa  clan. 

When,  at  last,  compulsion  made  the  regent  grant 
the  demands  of  the  self-invited  guests,  the  Tokugawa 


213 

samurai  *vere  fully  satisfied.  But  not  so  those  of  other 
clans.  They  could  not,  and  did  not,  deny  that  since  a 
Tokugawa  regent  had  taken  it  upon  himself  to  exclude 
foreigners,  another  regent  of  the  same  house  could 
rescind  or  abolish  this  law  by  his  own  authority.  What 
they  did  object  to  was  the  manner  in  which  permission 
to  trade  with  and  to  reside  in  Japan  had  been  obtained : 
that  a  regent  of  Japan  should  have  submitted  to  de- 
mands from  foreigners  without  striking  a  blow !  Had 
he  granted  the  requests  of  petitioners,  and  had  he 
opened  such  ports  as  would  have  given  to  every 
daimio  the  opportunity  to  profit  by  this  intercourse,  the 
Tokugawa  regents  might  have  secured  another  lease 
of  government.  But  the  government  of  Yedo  thought 
that  they  would  be  able  to  isolate  these  newcomers  as 
they  had  the  Dutch,  and  so  opened  only  such  ports  as 
belonged  to  the  Tokugawa.  This  caused  the  hatred, 
both  against  the  Yedo  government  and  the  foreigners, 
and  the  many  murders  of  innocent  men  by  self-ap- 
pointed avengers. 


JAPAN    OPENED 

THE  first  treaty  with  Japan  was  signed.  It  did  not 
grant  many  privileges,  but  our  government  saw 
that  an  opening  had  been  effected,  and  seized  the 
opportunity  to  improve  it. 

In  those  days  hundreds  of  American  ships  were 
trading  on  the  coast  of  China,  and  many  of  our  mer- 
chants went  there  themselves,  so  that  they  obtained 
considerable  experience  in  dealing  with  oriental  people. 
One  of  these  merchants,  Townsend  Harris,  of  the  state 
of  New  York,  was  appointed  the  first  United  States 
consul  in  Japan. 

When  the  British  and  Russians  saw  that  the  United 
States  had  succeeded  in  making  a  treaty,  they  wanted 
to  obtain  the  same  privileges.  England  sent  an  em- 
bassy under  Lord  Elgin,  and  now,  what  could  the 
government  at  Yedo  do  ?  The  foreigners  were  not 
wanted ;  but  the  visitors  would  take  no  refusal,  and 
Japan  was  not  in  condition  to  defend  itself.  Should  it 
call  the  samurai  to  arms  ?  You  may  be  sure  that  all 
would  have  responded  eagerly,  but  the  regent's  minis- 
ters knew  that  the  utmost  courage  was  no  match  for 
modern  cannon,  and  that  soldiers  with  armor  and  bow 
and  arrow  could  not  defeat  the  forces  that  would  be 
214 


215 

sent  against  them.  No,  the  foreigners  must  be  allowed 
to  come;  that  was  inevitable.  But  the  government 
could  try  to  keep  these  barbarians  apart  from  the 
Japanese,  and  then  if  the  trade  did  not  prove  profitable, 
they  would,  perhaps,  go  away  of  their  own  accord. 

But  these  foreigners,  now  they  had  once  entered, 
were  not  satisfied  to  remain  cooped  up.  They  did  not 
obey  the  officers  appointed  to  watch  them,  but  would 
claim  that  they  had  rights  which  they  would  uphold, 
even  if  the  government  did  not  wish  them  to  do  so. 

And  then  there  was  trouble  at  home.  The  regent 
was  dead,  and  had  left  no  son.  The  daimio  of  Mito, 
a  descendant  of  lyeyasu,  wanted  one  of  his  sons  ap- 
pointed;  but  that  did  not  suit  the  daimio  of  Hikone 
(hee-koh'-nay),  who  was  prime  minister,  and  a  very  able 
but  unscrupulous  man.  If  Mito's  son  were  appointed, 
his  father  would  be  the  real  regent,  and  li  Naosuke  (ee- 
ee-nah-oh-skay),  the  Lord  of  Hikone,  wished  to  retain 
his  power.  li  gained  the  day,  and  his  candidate, 
lyemochi  (ee-yay-moh-chee),  succeeded  as  regent. 

But  now  the  foreigners  were  no  longer  satisfied  with 
the  port  of  Shimoda.  There  had  been  a  tidal  wave,  and 
the  Diana,  a  Russian  man-of-war,  had  been  wrecked  in 
Shimoda,  so  that  port  was  considered  unsafe.  At  last 
the  regent's  government  was  compelled  to  allow  them 
to  come  and  live  in  Kanagawa  (kah-nah-gah-wah). 

And  what  do  you  think  the  Japanese  samurai 
thought  of  all  this  ?  They  had  no  idea  at  all  of  the 
strength  and  power  of  these  foreigners.  All  they  did 
know  was  that  Japan,  the  land  of  the  gods,  had  been 
invaded  by  them,  and  that  they  had  forced  the  Toku- 


216 

gawa  regents  to  give  them  a  part  of  the  sacred  soil 
of  their  country.  It  is  true  that  there  were  only  a  few 
of  these  barbarians  now,  but  in  the  eyes  of  the  Japa- 
nese theirs  was  such  a  desirable  country  that  they 
feared  these  uninvited  guests  would  be  only  the  fore- 
runners of  the  host  that  was  to  follow.  And  these 
Tokugawa  had  admitted  them !  They  had  submitted 
to  the  demands  of  the  Tojin  (toh-jin),  that  is,  foreign 


Old  shipyard,  Shimoda 

imps,  under  threats !  And  thus  a  vague  dread  changed 
into  hatred,  and,  "  Down  with  the  Tokugawa !  Expel 
the  barbarian ! "  became  the  rallying  cry  of  Japan's 
warriors. 

The  foreign  ministers  knew  nothing  of  the  excite- 
ment caused  by  their  admittance  into  Japan.  In  the 
treaty  the  regent  had  taken  the  title  of  Dai  Kun 
(Tycoon),  which  means  Great  Prince,  and  although 
they  had  heard  of  a  Mikado  (Tenno),  they  were  satis- 


fied  with  the  treaty  made  by  the  regent.  Not  so, 
however,  the  samurai.  They  knew  now  that  the  regent 
was  only  a  servant  of  the  Tenno,  and  that  he  had 
no  authority  whatever  to  give  an  inch  of  Japan's. soil 
to  these  strangers.  Yet  he  had  done  so.  And  now 
the  daimio  of  Mito,  his  kinsman,  remonstrated  with 
him,  and  stated  very  plainly  that  all  these  acts  were 
unlawful,  because  they  had  not  been  sanctioned  by 
the  Tenno. 

And  how  was  it  in  Kyoto  ?  There  the  governor 
of  the  Yedo  government  kept  a  strict  guard.  Yet 
several  great  court  nobles,  or  kuge  (koo-gay),  were 
watching  with  anxious  eyes  for  the  result  of  this  new 
disturbance.  I  must  tell  you  the  names  of  two  of 
these  kuge,  Sanjo  and  Iwakura  (ee-wah-koo-rah),  for 
they  took  a  leading  part  in  the  revolution  now  so 
near  at  hand.  These  kuge,  though  poor,  and  sup- 
ported, with  the  emperor's  household,  out  of  the 
scant  allowance  paid  by  the  wealthy  regents,  were, 
in  the  eyes  of  the  Japanese,  superior  in  rank  to  the 
most  powerful  daimio,  and  even  to  the  regent  himself. 
Another  man  who  was  to  take  a  prominent  part  in 
the  making  of  New  Japan,  —  a  man  closely  related  to 
the  Tenno  himself,  whose  title  of  Miya  (mee-yah), 
or  Temple,  showed  the  high  rank  he  held  in  the 
structure  of  which  the  Heaven  Child  was  the  corner- 
stone, —  Prince  Arisugawa  (ah-ree-soo-gah-wah),  was 
there  to  prompt  the  emperor  to  such  action  as  his 
advisers  might  decide  upon.  It  was  evident  that 
the  influence  of  the  Tokugawa  was  waning.  And 
the  kuge  resolved  to  watch  the  course  of  events,  and 


218 

in  the  meanwhile  to  enter  into  communication  with 
the  daimio  of  the  southern  clans ;  for  if  the  Tokugawa 
were  to  be  overthrown,  it  must  be  done  by  them. 

But  a  feud  existed  between  the  two  wealthiest  and 
most  warlike  of  these  clans,  Satsuma  and  Choshiu,  a 
feud  carefully  nursed  by  the  government  in  Yedo.  In 
both  clans,  however,  there  were,  among  the  samurai, 
able  men  of  great  power  and  influence.  Okubo  (oh- 
koo-boh)  and  Saigo  Takamori  (sl-goh  tah-kah-moh-ree), 
and  Kido  (kee-do),  —  the  first  two  Satsuma  men,  the 
last  belonging  to  the  Choshiu  clan  —  saw  that  a  union 
was  necessary  to  overcome  the  strong  power  of  the 
Tokugawa,  and  that  there  was  only  one  authority  in 
Japan  that  could  bring  the  clans  together,  and  that 
was  the  Tenno  in  Kyoto.  They  proceeded  to  that 
city,  and  placed  themselves  in  communication  with  the 
kuge  Sanjo  and  Iwakura,  and  it  was  decided  to  raise 
the  cry  of  "Yamato  Damashii  (Spirit  of  Old  Japan)! 
Expel  the  barbarians  !  " 

Their  main  object  was  to  save  Japan  from  an  inva- 
sion by  foreigners,  and  then  to  punish  the  Tokugawa 
regents  for  the  danger  and  disgrace  they  had  brought 
upon  their  country.  They  did  not  and  could  not  see 
any  further.  But  after  these  purposes  were  accom- 
plished, they  could  decide  as  to  the  future. 

The  foreigners  now  insisted  that  certain  ports  should 
be  opened,  where  they  could  buy  property,  build  houses, 
and  trade.  But  in  theory,  at  least,  all  the  soil  of  Japan 
belonged  to  the  Tenn6,  and  how  could  the  regent  deed 
it  away  ?  Still  the  foreigners  would  take  no  refusal,  and 
at  last  the  government  of  Yedo  promised  to  set  apart 


2I9 

some  land  in  Kanagawa,  where  they  could  build  their 
houses  and  live.  It  was,  however,  with  great  misgivings 
that  this  promise  was  made. 

When  the  time  came,  Mr.  Townsend  Harris  arrived 
and  raised  the  American  flag.  But  the  merchants  did 
not  like  Kanagawa,  which  is  on  a  high  bluff  on  the  bay, 
where  at  ebb  tide  the  water  runs  out  and  leaves  ex- 
tensive mud  banks.  They  preferred  the  site  of  a  little 
fishing  village  on  the  beach,  Yokohama,  and  when  the 
request  for  the  change  was  made  the  Yedo  govern- 
ment eagerly  assented.  For  Kanagawa  is  on  the  main 
road  by  which  all  the  southern  daimio  with  their 
numerous  escorts  of  samurai  must  pass  on  their  annual 
journey  to  and  from  Yedo ;  and  the  regent's  ministers 
foresaw  trouble  if  the  independent  foreign  merchants 
and  the  haughty  samurai  should  meet. 

The  new  treaty  was  signed  in  1858,  and  the  foreign 
settlement  of  Yokohama  was  begun  in  1859.  An  Ameri- 
can, Dr.  Hall,  who  was  with  Mr.  Townsend  Harris, 
bought  the  first  lot,  and  began  building  a  handsome 
residence  in  our  style  of  architecture. 

Now  foreign  vessels  began  to  arrive  in  Yokohama, 
for  the  Japanese  people  were  glad  to  buy  goods 
made  abroad.  But  hundreds  of  samurai  saw  in  the 
arrival  of  peaceful  merchants  the  beginning  of  an 
invasion  of  their  country,  and  thought  that  the  best 
thing  they  could  do  was  to  cut  down  as  many  of  these 
invaders  as  possible;  and  murders  of  foreigners  in 
Yokohama  became  very  frequent.  The  government 
dared  not  arrest  the  murderers,  for  very  often  they 
were  prominent  samurai  of  powerful  clans.  The  for- 


220 

eign  ministers  demanded  money  for  the  men  who  were 
assassinated,  or  else  that  their  murderers  should  be 
brought  to  justice,  and  the  regent's  government  paid 
the  money.  A  midshipman  from  the  boat  of  a  Russian 
man-of-war  which  had  come  to  the  beach  for  water,  was 
almost  cut  in  two  by  the  sharp  sword  of  a  samurai. 
The  government  could  not  deliver  up  the  murderer, 
so  the  Russian  minister  demanded  that  the  northern 
half  of  the  island  of  Saghalien  (sah-gah-leen)  should 
be  given  to  Russia,  and  the  Yedo  government  granted 
the  demand.  This  looked  very  much  as  though  the 
fears  of  the  samurai  that  Japan  might  be  divided  among 
the  foreigners  were  not  groundless.  The  number  of 
ronin  increased,  and  it  became  dangerous  for  foreigners 
in  Yokohama,  even  in  broad  daylight. 

The  foreign  ministers  had  moved  to  Yedo,  where 
each  was  given  a  temple  to  reside  in,  with  a  strong 
guard  of  Tokugawa  samurai.  But  although  the  gov- 
ernment did  all  it  could  to  protect  them,  their  resi- 
dences were  set  on  fire,  and  frequently  they  were 
attacked  in  the  night.  They  were  puzzled  to  know 
the  reason  of  this  hatred.  The  Japanese  people — that 
is,  the  farmers,  the  merchants,  and  mechanics  —  were 
polite  and  civil,  and  showed  no  dislike  for  the  for- 
eigners. We  know,  now,  however,  that  the  samurai 
thought  that  their  country  was  in  danger,  and  they 
were  willing  to  sacrifice  their  lives  to  drive  the  invaders 
away. 

The  ministers  and  the  members  of  the  legations  were 
warned  against  going  out.  But  one  day  Mr.  Heusken, 
the  secretary  of  the  American  minister,  while  on  his 


221 

way  home,  was  cut  down  and  killed.  The  Japanese 
government  paid  for  this  murder,  but  the  assassin 
was  never  discovered.  The  other  ministers  decided 
to  move  to  Yokohama,  but  Mr.  Harris  thought  it  best 
to  remain  in  Yedo. 

The  government  now  committed  a  serious  blunder. 
Thinking  that  it  could  appease  the  great  clans  by  mak- 
ing some  concessions,  it  abolished  the  law  requiring  the 
daimio  to  reside  every  other  half  year  in  Yedo.  The 
samurai  saw  that  the  regent  or  his  prime  minister  was 
afraid  of  them,  and  it  only  made  them  the  bolder. 
The  prime  minister,  li  Naosuke,  was  the  special  object 
of  their  hatred,  for  he  was  considered  the  author  of  the 
treaties  and  the  cause  of  the  admission  to  Japan  of 
the  detested  foreigners. 

The  daimio  of  Mito  had  not  forgiven  him  for  pre- 
venting his  son  from  succeeding  as  regent,  and  he 
openly  blamed  the  prime  minister,  while  he  praised  the 
samurai  who  attacked  defenseless  foreigners.  li  pun- 
ished him  by  banishing  him  to  his  seat  in  Mito.  This 
was  an  insult  to  the  clan  which,  according  to  -the 
samurai  code  of  honor,  could  only  be  wiped  out  in  blood. 
li's  life  had  been  in  constant  danger,  and  he  had  taken 
precautions,  but  now  his  death  was  only  a  question  of 
time. 

On  March  23,  1860,  there  was  a  heavy  snowstorm 
in  Yedo.  Only  those  who  were  forced  to  leave  their 
homes  were  hurrying  through  the  deserted,  snow- 
covered  streets.  After  the  prime  minister  had  ordered 
his  norimono  (sedan  chair)  to  proceed  to  the  castle,  his 
topknot  became  unfastened.  This  was  such  a  sign  of 


222 

ill  omen,  that  his  attendants  begged  him  to  omit,  or  at 
least  postpone,  his  daily  visit.  But  li  only  laughed, 
and,  as  soon  as  his  hair  had  been  dressed,  left  his 
yashiki,  with  his  escort.  His  samurai,  to  defend  them- 
selves against  the  inclement  weather,  had  put  on  kimo- 
no (kee-moh-noh)  —  cotton  gowns  worn  by  men  and 
women  alike  —  and  wore  besides  straw  rain  coats.  As 
they  were  approaching  the  Sakura  (sah-koo-rah)  gate 
of  the  castle,  the  vanguard  of  the  escort  had  an  alterca- 
tion with  some  people  who  seemed  to  be  lounging 
there.  The  norimono  halted,  and  li  looked  out  to 
inquire  into  the  cause  of  this  stopping.  Before  the 
rear  guard  could  run  up,  and  throw  off  their  rain 
coats  to  draw  their  swords,  the  norimono  was  sur- 
rounded by  ronin,  the  prime  minister's  head  was  cut 
off,  and  the  murderers  escaped  with  their  ghastly 
trophy.  The  head  was  taken  to  Mito,  where  it  was 
placed  upon  a  pike  over  the  castle  gate. 

Among  the  clans  who  showed  especial  hostility  to 
the  admittance  of  foreigners  was  that  of  Choshiu  in  the 
south.  Two  young^  samurai  of  this  clan,  Ito  (ee-to)  and 
Inouye  (ee-noo-yay),  disregarding  the  risk  of  punishment 
by  death  if  ever  they  should  return  to  Japan,  resolved 
to  go  to  Europe  and  see  for  themselves  if  there  was 
really  any  plan  for  the  conquest  of  Japan.  They  ob- 
tained a  passage  to  England,  where  they  supported 
themselves  in  humble  capacities,  and  mastered  the 
English  language.  As  soon  as  they  were  able  to  read 
and  understand  the  newspapers,  they  discovered  that 
nothing  threatened  the  independence  of  their  country, 
but  they  stood  aghast  when  they  fully  comprehended 


223 

how  far  Japan  was  behind  the  times.  They  returned 
to  Japan  at  a  critical  time,  when  their  services  were 
valuable  not  only  to  their  clan  but  also  to  their  late 
hosts. 

And  here  let  me  call  attention  to  the  all-absorbing 
love  of  country,  so  universal  among  the  samurai.  For 
their  country's  benefit  these  young  men  were  willing 
to  go  among  strangers,  where  they  were  treated  with 
contempt  as  barbarians,  —  strangers,  too,  whose  man- 
ners and  customs  were  repugnant  to  them  ;  and  they 
were  even  content  to  serve  them  in  a  menial  capacity, 
doing  the  humblest  kind  of  work.  For  Ito,  who 
was  prime  minister  of  Japan  for  many  years,  and 
who  wrote  the  constitution,  and  Inouye,  who  was  min- 
ister of  state,  ambassador  to  Korea,  and  held  other 
prominent  positions  in  the  government,  worked  in 
England  as  house  servants. 

Choshiu's  samurai  were  plotting  in  Kyoto,  and  Saigo 
Takamori,  a  very  influential  Satsuma  samurai,  whose 
sad  story  I  shall  tell  you  in  another  chapter,  was  help- 
ing them.  But  the  plot  leaked  out,  and  the  leading 
kuge  were  banished.  Soon  after  this  the  Satsuma  and 
Choshiu  clans  refused  to  obey  any  more  orders  from 
the  regent,  and  when  the  Tokugawa  sent  an  army 
to  punish  Choshiu,  the  government  troops  were  badly 
defeated. 

This  emboldened  these  southern  clans  to  begin  open 
war  upon  the  foreigners.  If  you  look  at  the  map  of 
Japan,  you  will  see  that  the  southern  part  of  Hondo  is 
separated  from  the  northern  part  of  Kiushiu  by  the 
Straits  of  Shimonoseki  (shee-moh-noh-say-kee).  The 


224 

government  of  Yedo  had  granted  to  foreigners  the 
right  to  sail  through  these  waters,  but  Choshiu,  in 
whose  territory  Shimonoseki  was  situated,  erected  bat- 
teries, and  when  an  American  merchant  ship,  the 
Pembroke,  was  passing  through  the  Straits,  the  Choshiu 
batteries  opened  fire  upon  her. 

It  happened  that  a  sloop  of  war,  the  Wyoming,  was 
in  Yokohama  harbor,  where  she  had  arrived  after  an 
unsuccessful  search  for  the  Alabama,  the  Confederate 
vessel  that  was  doing  so  much  harm  to  the  merchant- 
men of  the  North,  The  American  minister  in  Yedo 
now  came  to  the  conclusion  that  the  regent's  govern- 
ment was  unable  to  control  the  southern  daimio,  and 
that,  if  these  constant  assaults  were  to  cease,  they 
must  be  stopped  by  the  foreigners  themselves ;  so  he 
conferred  with  Captain  David  MacDougal  of  the 
Wyoming,  who  was  quite  willing  to  teach  the  Choshiu 
clan  respect  for  the  American  flag. 

He  left  for  Shimonoseki  and  entered  the  Straits 
July  1 6,  1863.  There  were  a  steamer  and  a  brig 
belonging  to  Choshiu,  lying  close  in  shore  and  under 
the  batteries.  The  Choshiu  samurai  were  glad  enough 
to  fight,  but  they  were  taken  aback  not  a  little  when 
this  single  vessel,  by  skillful  handling,  in  one  hour  and 
a  half  sunk  their  brig,  blew  up  their  steamer,  and  de- 
stroyed one  of  their  batteries.  They  had  also  fired 
upon  a  French  dispatch  vessel,  and  a  man-of-war  of 
that  nation  destroyed  another  battery.  But  these  de- 
feats did  not  discourage  the  warriors  of  Choshiu.  They 
needed  another  lesson  before  they  would  acknowledge 
that  they  were  not  so  strong  as  these  "foreign  devils." 


225 

While  this  was  going  on  in  the  south,  the  samurai  of 
Choshiu,  who  had  made  Kyoto  their  headquarters, 
made  an  attempt  to  take  the  palace  and  to  carry  off  the 
Tenno,  because  then  they  could  issue  orders  in  his 
name,  and  the  regent  in  Yedo  would  be  a  rebel  if  he 
disobeyed  their  commands.  But  Satsuma  and  another 
clan  rushed  to  the  defense  of  the  Tennd,  because  the 
Satsuma  samurai  did  not  want  Choshiu  to  take  the 
place  of  the  Tokugawa,  and  at  this  time  there  were  but 
a  few  individuals  in  Japan  who  had  ever  thought  that 
the  Heaven  Child  himself  should  engage  in  temporal 
affairs.  The  prevailing  desire  was  to  reclaim  the  gov- 
ernment from  the  Tokugawa  and  to  appoint  a  stronger 
man  as  barbarian-expelling  regent.  Many  clans  were 
ambitious  to  acquire  this  honor,  but  the  most  prominent 
were  Satsuma,  Choshiu,  and  Tosa.  A  battle  was 
fought  in  the  streets  of  Kyoto,  where  thirty  thousand 
houses  were  destroyed  by  fire.  Choshiu  was  defeated, 
and  that  clan  was  prohibited  from  ever  reentering  the 
capital. 

The  representative  of  the  Satsuma  clan  was  in  Kyoto 
and  proposed  to  escort  to  Yedo  one  of  the  kuge  who 
was  charged  by  the  court  with  orders  from  the  Tennd 
to  the  regent,  commanding  him  to  expel  the  barbarians. 
The  prime  minister  had  been  informed  of  the  purpose 
of  this  journey,  and  when  Satsuma  arrived  in  Yedo, 
refused  to  receive  him.  The  old  lord  and  his  retainers 
were  in  no  pleasant  mood  when  they  began  their  long 
return  march. 

They  had  gone  about  fourteen  miles,  with  all  the 
pomp  of  the  Middle  Ages,  when  they  met  a  party  of 

STO.  OF  JAPAN  —  1 5 


226 


foreigners  on  horseback.  They  were  three  Englishmen 
and  a  lady.  One  of  them,  Mr.  Richardson,  was  a  mer- 
chant from  Shanghai  on  his  way  to  England  for  a  vaca- 


Duel  with  swords 


tion.     They  were  going  to  visit  a  temple  at  Kawasaki 
(kah-wah-sah-kee)  when  they  met  Satsuma's  escort. 
Japanese  etiquette  demanded  that  people  on  horse- 


227 

back  should  dismount  while  the  procession  of  a  daimio 
passed.  It  does  not  appear  whether  Mr.  Richardson 
and  his  friends  knew  of  this  rule ;  but,  even  if  they 
did,  foreigners  were  not  expected  to  conform  to  the 
rules  of  courtesy  of  the  Japanese.  It  is  said,  however, 
that  Mr.  Richardson  guided  his  horse  through  the 
procession,  which,  if  true,  was  a  foolhardy  proceeding. 
Be  that  as  it  may,  sharp  swords  flew  out  of  their 
scabbards,  and  in  a  few  minutes  Mr.  Richardson  was 
lying  weltering  in  his  blood,  while  Mr.  King,  another 
member  of  the  party,  was  severely  wounded  in  the  arm. 
The  two  unwounded  foreigners,  accompanied  by  Mr. 
King,  who  with  difficulty  kept  his  saddle,  were  soon 
flying  back  to  Kanagawa,  where  Dr.  Hepburn,  an 
American  medical  missionary,  attended  to  the  wounded 
man. 

When  reports  of  this  attack  reached  Yokohama,  in- 
dignation meetings  were  held,  and  many  residents  were 
anxious  to  go  in  a  body,  overtake  the  Satsuma  proces- 
sion, and  take  summary  vengeance.  It  was  with  diffi- 
culty that  wiser  counsels  prevailed.  The  British  minister 
gave  the  Yedo  government  a  limited  time  to  deliver  up 
the  murderer.  But  how  could  the  regent  order  the 
arrest  of  a  Satsuma  samurai,  especially  while  he  was 
with  his  clan  ?  The  time  passed,  and  Satsuma  was  to 
receive  a  lesson.  The  British  fleet  proceeded  to  Kago- 
shima,  Satsuma's  chief  city,  and  bombarded  it.  The 
Yedo  government  was  then  fined  five  hundred  thou- 
sand dollars,  and  Satsuma  twenty-five  thousand  dollars. 
Both  sums  were  paid,  but  the  murderer  escaped  arrest. 

It  was  no  murder  in  the  eyes  of  the  Satsuma  samurai, 


228 

or  in  those  of  any  of  the  other  clans,  but  a  necessary 
act,  demanded  by  the  loyalty  due  to  the  clan.  And 
when  the  ugly  mood  of  the  men  composing  Satsuma's* 
escort  is  taken  into  consideration,  it  seems  a  wonder  that 
any  of  the  party  escaped.  The  government  of  Yedo 
was  not  sorry  that  Satsuma's  pride  had  been  humbled ; 
while  the  samurai  of  that  clan,  known  as  the  bravest  of 
all  the  brave  Japanese  samurai,  were  astounded  that 
they  could  have  been  beaten  by  these  foreigners.  And 
they  resolved  from  that  time  on  to  master  the  secret  of 
the  barbarian's  strength,  and  to  acquire  his  knowledge. 
It  was  the  desire  to  be  able  to  defeat  us  with  our  own 
weapons,  combined  with  the  untiring  patience  of  the 
Japanese  character,  that  led  to  those  changes  in  Japan 
which  we  call  its  progress,  and  which  so  long  have 
seemed  inexplicable. 

Choshiu,  in  the  meanwhile,  continued  firing  upon  ves- 
sels passing  through  the  Straits  of  Shimonoseki,  and 
the  ministers  of  four  nations,  the  United  States,  Eng- 
land, France,  and  Holland,  made  up  their  minds  to 
punish  him.  Seventeen  men-of-war  belonging  to  those 
powers  attacked  Choshiu's  forts.  The  samurai  de- 
fended themselves  bravely,  but  the  Choshiu  forts  were 
taken  and  destroyed.  When  the  clan  began  negotia- 
tions for  peace,  the  two  young  samurai,  Ito  and  Inouye, 
returned  from  England  just  in  time  to  take  an  active 
part  in  them.  They  assured  their  fellow  samurai  that 
the  fear  of  an  invasion  of  Japan  by  a  foreign  power 
was  baseless.  When  they  were  satisfied  of  this  fact, 
which  spread  with  great  rapidity  among  the  two- 
sworded  class,  the  opposition  to  foreigners  ceased. 


229 

But  the  insult  to  the  clan  was  neither  forgiven  nor 
forgotten,  and  Choshiu,  too,  decided  to  dissemble  until 
the  samurai  had  acquired  the  secret  of  the  barbarians' 
strength. 

Both  the  Satsuma  and  Choshiu  samurai  were  now 
strongly  in  favor  of  admitting  these  foreigners  under 
certain  restrictions.  They  would  need  them  as  instruc- 
tors ;  they  would  need  also  to  purchase  from  them 
their  terrible  engines  of  war.  It  was  now  agreed 
among  the  ministers  of  the  four  powers  that  the  gov- 
ernment of  Yedo  should  be  given  the  choice  between 
paying  an  indemnity  of  three  millions  of  dollars  and 
opening  new  ports.  It  preferred  paying  the  money, 
and  each  nation  received  one  fourth,  or  seven  hundred 
and  fifty  thousand  dollars.  The  United  States  after- 
wards returned  its  share. 

Satsuma  and  Choshiu  were  now  more  than  ever 
determined  that  the  Yedo  government  must  fall,  and 
since  all  the  clans,  the  Tokugawa  and  their  allies 
excepted,  would  rally  under  the  Tenno,  they  would 
spare  no  efforts  to  get  hold  of  the  emperor's  person, 
and  to  use  his  authority  to  form  a  new  government. 
The  regent  lyemochi  died  in  the  summer  of  1866,  and 
Mito's  son,  Hitotsubashi  Tokugawa  (stots'  bashee)  was 
appointed  to  succeed  him. 


THE  TOKUGAWA  REGENTS  STEP  OUT 

THE  new  regent  was  the  last  man  to  uphold  the 
office  so  long  occupied  by  his  ancestors.  More  of 
a  thinker  than  a  man  of  deeds,  he  preferred  the  quiet 
of  a  library  to  the  duties  and  dangers  of  power,  and  it 
was  with  reluctance  that  he  accepted  the  dignity  offered 
him.  He  would  have  been  well  enough  pleased,  in 
peaceful  times,  to  hand  the  responsibilities  of  his  office 
over  to  an  ambitious  prime  minister,  but  these  were 
days  when  the  regent  himself  must  act. 

The  Tennd  in  Kyoto  seemed  to  be  well  disposed 
toward  the  new  regent,  since  he  gave  his  sister  in  mar- 
riage to  him.  But  this  did  not  lead  to  peace.  The 
agitation  was  more  than  ever  kept  up  by  Satsuma  and 
Choshiu,  who  had  been  assured  of  the  help  of  many 
powerful  clans.  Such  was  the  situation  when  the 
Tenno,  Komei  (koh-mi),  died,  in  the  beginning  of  1867, 
and  the  boy  Mutsuhito  (moots-shtoh),  a  lad  not  quite 
fifteen  years  old,  succeeded  to  the  title  and  dignity. 

Hitotsubashi,  or  Keiki  (kay-kee),  the  regent,  went  to 

Kyoto  to  pay  his  respects  to  the  Tenno  !     How  the  times 

had  changed  in  less  than  a  score  of  years.     Twenty  years 

before,  the  Yedo  government  was  all  powerful,  and  the 

230 


231 

descendant  of  the  sun  goddess  was  a  mere  name,  a 
shadow ;  and  now,  the  eyes  of  all  Japan,  and  of  the 
foreign  ministers  also,  were  fixed  upon  this  boy,  the 
heir  to  —  what  ?  It  was  more  than  probable  that  there 
would  be  a  change,  but  one  by  which  only  the  master 


Hitotsubashi  or  Keiki 

or  guardian  would  be  affected.  For  if  the  idea  of  a 
united  Japan  existed  at  all,  it  was  only  in  the  minds 
of  a  very  few  men,  —  Okubo  of  Satsuma,  Kido  of 
Choshiu,  and  Sanjo  and  Iwakura  the  kuge.  But  the 
regent  saw  that  his  time  had  come,  and  on  November  9, 
1867,  he  resigned. 
This  resignation  placed  the  leaders  of  the  revolution 


232 

in  a  quandary.  The  clans  opposed  to  the  Tokugawa 
were  in  the  majority  in  the  palace,  so  that  now  they 
could  use  the  emperor's  authority,  but  they  were  per- 
plexed as  to  what  to  do.  A  meeting  of  the  daimio  was 
called  for  the  purpose  of  deciding  the  form  of  the  new 
government,  and  in  the  meanwhile  the  regent  was  told 
to  continue  in  his  office  until  further  orders.  But  the 
daimio  did  not  appear.  With  the  exception  of  one  or 
two,  they  were  helpless  puppets  in  the  hands  of  their 
samurai,  —  men  who  had  never  been  allowed  to  origi- 
nate an  idea,  or  even  to  decide  in  matters  strictly 
concerning  themselves.  And  to  call  a  meeting  of  the 
leading  samurai  of  the  clans  would  have  evoked  inter- 
clannish  jealousies,  and  perhaps  a  prolonged  civil  war. 
It  was  a  dangerous  period  for  Japan. 

The  foreign  ministers  had  come  to  Osaka  to  be  pres- 
ent at  the  opening  of  that  port  and  of  Hiogo,  which 
was  to  take  place  on  New  Year's  day,  1868.  On  the 
3d  of  January  the  combined  clans  seized  the  palace 
gates ;  and  the  regent,  now  afraid  of  personal  injury, 
left  Kyoto  secretly  on  the  evening  of  January  6th,  and 
withdrew  to  the  castle  of  Osaka.  The  allied  clans  now 
summoned  him  to  appear;  but,  having  been  advised 
by  the  Tokugawa  clan  to  be  on  his  guard,  he  went, 
accompanied  by  about  ten  thousand  samurai,  loyal 
to  the  Tokugawa  house.  The  allied  clans  resolved 
to  prevent  him  from  marching  upon  the  capital  with 
his  force,  and  for  the  third  time  in  the  history  of 
Japan  the  rice  fields  of  Fushimi  (foo-shee-mee)  saw 
the  fate  of  Japan  decided.  The  regent  was  defeated, 
and  fled  by  sea  to  Yedo.  One  of  his  councilors  urged 


233 

upon  him  to  commit  hara-kiri,  but  Hitotsubashi  de- 
clined. The  man  who  advised  him  was  honest  in  the 
belief  that  this  ought  to  be  done,  and,  to  prove  it,  com- 
mitted suicide  himself. 

The  allied  clans  decided  first  to  subdue  those  north- 
ern clans  who  still  remained  faithful  to  the  regent's 
cause.  An  army  of  samurai  was  easily  collected,  and, 
to  avoid  jealousy,  it  was  commanded  in  person  by  the 
man  highest  in  rank  after  the  Tenno,  Prince  Arisu- 
gawa,  while  the  active  command  was  taken  by  Japan's 
ideal  samurai,  Saigo  Takamori  of  Satsuma.  Yedo  sur- 
rendered after  a  brief  struggle  in  the  temple  on  the 
Uyeno  (oo-way-noh)  heights.  But  Enomoto  (en-noh- 
moh-toh),  the  admiral  of  the  regent's  fleet,  escaped  to 
Hokkaido,  taking  with  him  the  foreign  vessels  bought 
by  the  regent's  government. 

The  northern  clans  made  the  best  struggle  they 
could,  but  the  regent  was  ordered  to  withdraw  to  his 
castle  at  Shizuoka  (sheed-zoo-oh-kah),  where  he  still 
lives,  enjoying  himself  with  experiments  in  photog- 
raphy. Enomoto  first  thought  of  forming  a  republic 
in  Hokkaido;  but  the  allied  clans  pursued  him, 
and  at  last  he  surrendered,  offering  to  commit  hara- 
kiri  if  his  companions  were  spared.  But  the  leaders 
of  the  new  government  did  not  desire  to  arouse  the 
clan  spirit  for  the  sake  of  revenge  ;  they  had  one  wish  : 
to  be  able  to  cope  with  the  foreigners  on  their  own 
terms,  and  for  that  purpose  they  needed  a  united  Japan. 
Enomoto  and  the  other  Tokugawa  leaders  were  taken 
into  the  service  of  the  new  government,  and  were  given 
positions  of  responsibility  according  to  their  ability. 


234 

Thus  Enomoto  was  minister  to  Russia,  minister  of 
foreign  affairs,  and,  under  the  last  Ito  cabinet,  minister 
of  commerce  and  agriculture ;  while  Okubo,  who  de- 
fended Uyeno  against  the  imperial  troops,  was  minister 
of  Japan  in  Korea  at  the  time  the  war  between  China 
and  Japan  broke  out. 

But  now  the  question  was :  What  was  the  new  gov- 
ernment to  be  ?  The  only  men  able  to  rule  were  the 
samurai,  and  there  were  not  a  few  leaders  in  their  own 
clan  who  thought  that  they  were  the  men  best  fitted  for 
the  purpose.  Satsuma  and  Choshiu  were  prominent 
on  account  of  the  share  they  had  taken  in  causing  the 
downfall  of  the  Yedo  government,  and  of  the  samurai 
of  these  clans  Okubo  and  Kido  were  by  far  the  ablest. 
To  avoid  jealousy,  it  was  decided  that  Prince  Arisu- 
gawa,  with  the  kuge  Sanjo  and  Iwakura,  should  form 
the  executive,  with  a  board  of  councilors  comprising 
the  most  illustrious  samurai.  This  was  a  wise  resolu- 
tion, for  the  three  men  selected  ranked  head  and 
shoulders  above  the  daimio ;  so  that  no  clan  could  feel 
slighted,  whereas  the  real  power  remained  where  it  had 
been  for  centuries,  —  in  the  hands  of  the  best  samurai. 

The  first  act  of  the  new  government  was  to  ratify  the 
treaties,  and  from  this  time  the  attacks  upon  foreigners 
ceased,  except  in  isolated  instances.  Two  of  these 
must  be  told  in  detail. 


HOW  A  SAMURAI   COMMITTED   HARA-KIRI 

ON  the  4th  of  February,  1868,  the  newly  opened 
port  of  Hiogo,  where  the  foreign  settlement  Kobe 
(koh-bay)is  located,  presented  an  animated  appearance  ; 
for  the  first  settlers  were  unloading  their  goods,  houses 
were  in  the  course  of  erection,  coolies  were  shouting, 
strangers  were  crowding  the  streets,  and  the  foreign 
ministers  with  their  staffs  were  actively  engaged  in 
giving  directions  or  chatting  with  the  less  busy  members 
of  the  young  community. 

The  harbor,  too,  presented  a  gay  appearance  with 
the  many  war  vessels  flying  their  national  flags,  and 
boats  passing  to  and  fro.  A  bright  sun  showed  the 
glorious  blue  sky,  and  there  was  a  general  feeling  of 
security,  owing  to  the  presence  of  the  fleet  and  the 
number  of  well-armed  sailors  and  marines.  Had  these 
been  absent,  the  foreigners  would  have  been  very 
much  alarmed.  For  civil  war  was  raging  ;  troops 
of  armed  samurai  were  constantly  moving  upon  Kyoto, 
the  regent  had  fled,  and  no  one  knew  what  the  morrow 
might  bring  forth. 

A  band  of  samurai  belonging  to  the  Hizen  clan  were 
on  the  march  to  Kyoto.  When  they  had  arrived  within 
the  foreign  settlement,  they  were  seen  to  halt ;  a  word 
235 


236 

of  command  was  given,  and  then  came  a  whizzing  of 
bullets,  fired  as  fast  as  repeating  rifles  could  send  them 
forth.  Happily  these  Hizen  samurai  had  not  had  time 


Hara-kiri 


to  practice  sharpshooting,  for  most  of  the  bullets  went 
wide  of  the  mark  ;  but  had  they  been  good  shots,  few 
of  the  foreigners  ashore  would  have  lived  to  tell  the 


237 

story.  The  officers  of  the  men-of-war  in  port  heard 
the  firing  and  suspected  the  cause.  A  few  orders  rang 
out,  boats  were  manned,  and  before  the  Hizen  men 
were  quite  out  of  the  place,  the  guards  of  the  different 
legations,  and  the  soldiers  and  marines  of  the  war 
vessels,  were  after  them.  But  the  Hizen  samurai,  hav- 
ing heard  of  Shimonoseki  and  Kagoshima,  did  not  wait 
for  them,  so  the  foreign  troops  had  their  trouble  for 
nothing. 

The  whole  affair  seemed  a  farce.  Two  or  three  men 
in  the  foreign  settlement  had  been  slightly  wounded, 
and  one  old  woman  was  shot  in  the  leg.  She  belonged 
to  the  lowest  caste  of  the  Japanese,  and  by  the  natives 
was  looked  upon  with  contempt.  But  the  foreign  doctor 
examined  her,  and  had  her  taken  in  and.  made  comfort- 
able, notwithstanding  the  protests  of  the  native  servants. 

Although  the  consequences  had  been  slight,  the  for- 
eign ministers  resolved  to  make  an  example  of  the  case 
and  insist  upon  the  punishment  of  the  offending  officer; 
and  the  Tenn6's  government  recognized  the  justice  of 
the  demand.  There  was  no  difficulty  now  about  discover- 
ing the  culprit.  Upon  receiving  the  assurance  that  he 
would  be  permitted  to  commit  hara-kiri,  the  clan  deliv- 
ered him  up  without  raising  the  slightest  disturbance, 
and  the  order  came  under  the  Tenno  seal  that  dele- 
gates from  the  foreign  legations  should  be  allowed  to 
be  present  to  be  convinced  that  the  real  culprit  was 
brought  to  justice. 

Ito  Shunske  (ee-to  shoons-kay),  now  Marquis  Ito  Hiro- 
bumi  (hee-roh-boo-mee),  ex-prime  minister  of  state,  the 
same  Choshiu  man  who  had  been  a  house  servant  in 


238 

England,  was  governor  of  Hiogo.  He  and  another 
officer  were  to  represent  the  Tenno  at  the  execution, 
which  was  to  take  place  in  a  temple,  the  headquarters 
of  the  Satsuma  men,  at  half  past  ten  at  night.  Officers 
of  Satsuma  and  Choshiu  conducted  the  foreign  dele- 
gates to  the  temple,  where,  after  passing  through 
crowds  of  soldiers  standing  around  camp  fires  in  the 
temple  grounds,  they  were  shown  into  an  inner  room. 

After  they  had  waited  some  time,  Governor  Ito  came 
in,  wrote  down  the  names  of  the  foreigners,  and  told 
them  that  seven  Japanese  officers  would  witness  the 
execution  on  behalf  of  the  government.  After  a  short 
time,  the  foreigners  were  invited  to  enter  the  hall  pre- 
pared for  the  execution.  They  followed  the  Japanese 
witnesses  into  the  main  hall,  which  was  lighted  by  a 
number  of  lamps  peculiar  to  Buddhist  temples.  Before 
the  high  altar  a  cloth  of  scarlet  wool  was  placed  over 
the  mats  covering  the  floor.  The  Japanese  witnesses 
took  their  places  on  the  left,  the  foreigners  on  the 
right. 

A  few  minutes  passed,  and  a  fine-looking,  strongly 
built  man  about  thirty-two  years  old,  dressed  in  the 
state  dress  of  a  samurai,  walked  in  quietly,  evincing 
not  a  sign  of  emotion.  With  him  came  his  second,  a 
friend  who  had  undertaken  the  last  service  for  the  con- 
demned man,  that  of  cutting  off  the  head  after  the 
deadly  incision  was  made.  Three  officers  wearing  the 
war  dress  followed.  The-  condemned  man  first  ap- 
proached the  Japanese  witnesses,  whom  he  saluted  with 
a  stately  bow  showing  no  servility, —  a  salute  returned 
in  the  same  dignified  manner.  Then,  turning  to  the 


.     239 

foreigners,  he  repeated  the  salutation.  Every  one  of 
these  foreigners  was  forced  to  admire  the  high-bred 
demeanor  and  dauntless  courage  of  this  samurai,  and 
all  would  have  been  glad  to  see  him  pardoned.  There 
was  no  sign  of  emotion  on  the  impenetrable  counte- 
nances of  the  Japanese  spectators. 

The  man  approached  the  high  altar  and  twice 
prostrated  himself  before  it.  Turning  round,  he  sat 
down  on  the  scarlet  rug,  with  his  second  close  beside 
him.  One  of  the  three  attendants  then  came  forward 
and  brought,  upon  a  tray,  the  dagger,  nine  and  a  half 
inches  long,  pointed,  and  sharp  as  a  razor.  Kneeling 
respectfully  before  the  condemned  samurai,  the  attend- 
ant handed  him  the  dagger,  and  he  received  it  as  the 
Japanese  do  a  valued  gift,  by  raising  it  to  his  forehead 
with  both  hands ;  and  then  he  placed  it  in  front  of  him- 
self. 

Again  bowing  deeply,  he  prepared  to  speak.  It  was 
expected  that  he  would  boast  of  his  deed  ;  for  the  Japa- 
nese samurai,  about  to  die  by  his  own  hand,  had  the 
right  to  address  the  witnesses,  and  it  was  customary 
for  him  to  defend  the  act  that  cost  him  his  life  by  plac- 
ing it  in  the  best  light.  But  it  was  evident  that  this 
man  understood  that  the  unprovoked  attack  instigated 
by  him  might  have  cost  his  country  dear.  It  was  said 
afterwards  that,  before  going  to  his  death,  he  had  called 
his  fellow-clansmen,  and  assured  them  that  the  judg- 
ment was  just,  and  that  no  ill  will  must  be  shown  to 
those  who  had  brought  it  upon  him.  So  little  does  a 
samurai  consider  his  own  welfare  when  the  good  of  his 
country  is  at  stake.  On  this  occasion,  in  a  calm  and 


240 

dignified  manner  he  said,  with  as  much  hesitation  as 
would  be  natural  in  a  man  making  a  humiliating  con- 
fession :  "  I,  and  I  alone,  without  cause,  gave  the  order 
to  fire  on  the  foreigners  at  Kobe,  and  again  as  they 
tried  to  escape.  For  this  crime  I  commit  hara-kiri, 
and  I  beg  you  who  are  present  to  do  me  the  honor 
of  witnessing  the  act." 

After  bowing  once  more,  he  let  his  clothes  drop  to 
his  belt,  and  took  care  to  tuck  the  ends  of  his  long 
sleeves  under  his  knees,  so  that  he  should  fall  forward. 
Then  he  took  up  the  dagger,  looked  at  it  for  a  moment 
almost  with  affection,  and  slowly  but  deeply  cut  him- 
self. His  second  jumped  up,  there  was  a  flash,  and  the 
head  rolled  upon  the  floor.  The  two  witnesses  for  the 
Tennd  now  crossed  over  to  the  foreigners,  and  called 
them  to  witness  that  justice  had  been  done.  They  made 
a  suitable  answer  and  departed,  deeply  moved  by  the 
spectacle. 

But  an  example  was  necessary.  The  roving  samurai 
had  made  altogether  too  free  with  their  swords,  and 
promising  lives  had  been  cut  short  without  any  provo- 
cation. And  even  this  example  was  not  sufficient.  It 
was  only  when  the  foreign  ministers  insisted  that  all 
samurai  who  made  an  unprovoked  attack  upon  foreign- 
ers should  be  handed  over  to  the  executioner  and  die 
the  death  of  a  common  felon,  that  the  attacks  ceased. 
It  was  the  assault  on  the  British  minister  at  Kyoto  that 
led  to  the  enactment  of  this  law. 


THE   TENNO    LEAVES    HIS    SECLUSION 

I  HAVE  told  you  before  that  the  first  act  of  the  new 
government  had  been  to  ratify  the  treaties,  and  it 
was  publicly  announced  that  the  Tennd  had  given  his 
consent  that  foreigners  should  live  in  Japan  and  trade 
there.  The  foreign  ministers  now  proposed  that  they 
should  present  their  credentials,  as  the  papers  appoint- 
ing them  are  called,  to  the  Tenno  in  person,  and  Okubo 
and  Kido  prevailed  upon  the  court  to  consent  that  this 
extraordinary  step  be  taken. 

The  Heaven  Child  to  be  visible !  and  above  all  by 
those  foreign  intruders  who  had  forced  themselves 
upon  the  sacred  soil  of  Japan  !  You  may  well  sup- 
pose that  the  people  thought  the  world  was  coming 
to  an  end,  and  so  far  as  old  Japanese  superstitions 
and  the  customs  of  the  Middle  Ages  were  con- 
cerned, the  beginning  of  the  end  had  certainly  come. 
Kyoto,  the  sacred  city,  was  to  be  profaned  by  the 
presence  of  foreigners,  who  were  to  be  received  as 
welcome  guests. 

They  must  be  made  welcome,  for  Japan  had  need  of 
them.  Both  Okubo  and  Kido  felt  sure  of  it,  and 
although  they  liked  these  strangers  no  better  than 
did  the  rest  of  the  samurai,  they  needed  them  for  the 

STO.  OF  JAPAN  —  1 6  241 


242 

advice  they  could  give,  the  teachers  they  could  supply, 
and  the  improvements  they  could  help  to  introduce. 
For  Japan  must  be  raised  from  the  slough  of  igno- 


The  emperor  leaving  his  court 

ranee  into  which  she  had  sunk,  she  must  shake  off  the 
fetters  of  useless  encumbrances,  and  must  prepare  to  be 
able  to  take  her  place  among  the  foremost  nations  of 
the  earth,  and  lead  —  not  follow.  Okubo  and  Kido 


243 

knew  full  well  that  the  path  was  crooked  and  thorny, 
and  beset  with  pitfalls.  But  if  there  were  no  foolish 
going  astray  for  the  purpose  of  momentary  gratification, 
if  the  final  aim  were  held  constantly  in  view,  greatness 
would  be  achieved  and  no  time  would  be  lost. 

So  the  foreign  ministers  were  to  be  received  by  this 
youth  of  mighty  omen  !  And  Kyoto  was  crowded ;  for 
samurai,  priests,  and  idle  young  men  had  flocked  to  the 
capital,  where  a  new  force  was  opening  the  era  of  en- 
lightenment. The  British  minister  was  one  of  the  first 
of  western  people  to  stand  face  to  face  with  the  mys- 
terious Heaven  Child.  He  was  escorted  to  the  capi- 
tal as  befitted  his  rank  and  the  dignity  of  his  country ; 
was  received  and  shown  to  the  residence  set  apart 
for  him  during  his  brief  stay ;  and  a  Japanese  guard 
of  honor  watched  over  his  safety. 

But  two  young  men,  who  had  come  to  the  old  capital, 
after  making  merry  until  they  were  scarcely  able  to 
distinguish  right  from  wrong,  began  discussing  the 
topics  of  the  day.  What  subject  could  be  of  more 
absorbing  interest  than  the  approaching  visit  of  these 
bearded  foreigners  to  their  Tenno  ?  In  maudlin  sorrow 
they  began  to  bewail  the  disgrace  of  the  country  in 
being  compelled  to  suffer  the  presence  of  the  strangers, 
until  finally  they  decided  to  emulate  the  ronin,  and 
dispatch  some  of  the  unwelcome  visitors. 

The  British  minister,  unconscious  of  the  plot,  at  the 
appointed  hour  prepared  to  go  to  the  palace  in  such 
state  as  would  impress  a  people  accustomed  to  set  an 
inordinate  value  upon  pomp  and  ceremony.  The  Japa- 
nese guard  led ;  then  came  the  mounted  escort,  followed 


244 

by  the  minister  and  those  attached  to  the  legation. 
Upon  turning  a  corner,  there  was  a  commotion,  and 
a  man  was  seen  running  amuck,  and  slashing  with  his 
sharp  sword  at  the  members  of  the  escort.  He  came, 
indeed,  very  near  killing  the  minister.  But  the  Japa- 
nese guard  was  not  idle,  and  before  he  could  work 
much  mischief,  the  poor,  crazed  man  was  severely 
wounded,  taken  prisoner,  and  carried  to  a  neighboring 
house.  This  incident  prevented  the  audience  from  tak- 
ing place  on  that  day.  The  Japanese  government 
acted  promptly  and  with  energy.  A  dignified  apology 
was  offered  to  the  British  minister,  who  accepted  it  in 
the  same  spirit.  The  next  day  the  descendant  of  the 
sun  goddess  met  the  foreigner,  and  with  this  meeting 
began  the  era  of  new  Japan. 

But  how  were  the  necessary  reforms  to  be  begun  ?  — 
that  was  the  question  facing  those  who  had  taken  the 
lead.  It  was  not  enough  to  demolish  the  structure  that 
had  existed  since  the  Middle  Ages ;  it  was  necessary 
that  the  sound  timber  should  be  preserved,  and  used 
in  the  more  stately  building  that  was  to  arise  upon  the 
ruins  of  the  old.  What  material  must  be  kept,  and 
what  discarded  ?  The  first  step  was  taken  :  the  Tenno 
might  remain  a  god,  but  he  must  no  longer  be  a  her- 
mit ;  he  must  be  a  ruler  in  the  modern  sense  of  the 
term ;  and  to  perform  this  task  effectually,  Kyoto  must 
be  left  behind,  and  the  seat  of  government  transferred 
to  the  capital  founded  by  lyeyasu,  no  longer  to  be  called 
Yedo,  but  Tokyo,  or  "eastern  capital." 

But  now  a  meeting  of  the  nobles  was  called,  to 
arrange  about  the  next  step.  The  young  Tenno,  then 


245 

a  lad  of  sixteen  years,  attended  the  meeting,  took  the 
oath  as  ruler,  and,  instructed  by  his  advisers,  promised 
that  "  a  deliberative  assembly  should  be  formed ;  all 
measures  to  be  decided  by  public  opinion ;  the  uncivil- 
ized customs  of  former  times  to  be  broken  through ; 
the  impartiality  and  justice  displayed  in  the  workings 
of  nature  to  be  adopted  as  a  basis  'of  action."  This 
promise  was  afterwards  taken  to  imply  a  constitutional 
government. 

Acquainted,  as  we  now  are,  with  the  Japanese,  this 
proceeding  is  easily  accounted  for.  The  Tenno  was 
speaking,  not  to  the  common  people,  always  kept  in 
submission,  and  satisfied  with  the  usually  just  and  hu- 
mane rule  of  the  samurai,  but  to  those  samurai  them- 
selves, —  four  hundred  thousand  men,  accustomed  to 
be  consulted  in  the  management  of  their  clans,  and 
to  occupy  such  offices  as  their  administration  rendered 
necessary.  These  men,  the  muscle  and  brain  of  the 
nation,  were  watching  the  course  of  events,  and  asking, 
"What  is  to  become  of  us  ?  "  This  promise  on  the  part 
of  the  government  meant,  and  was  understood  to  mean : 
"  Whatever  happens,  you  shall  all  have  a  share  in  the 
government  under  the  new  order  of  affairs,  and  noth- 
ing shall  be  done  without  consultation  with  you."  The 
promise  had  the  effect  foreseen  by  the  government : 
the  samurai  were  satisfied  to  await  the  course  of  events. 

Okubo,  Kido,  Goto  (goh-toh),  and  Iwakura  were 
soon  convinced  that,  if  the  Tenno's  government  was 
to  acquire  real  authority,  the  old  feudal  system  must 
fall.  They  consulted  with  their  fellow-clansmen,  and 
persuaded  them  that  their  daimio,  Satsuma,  Choshiu, 


246 

and  Tosa  should  return  their  territories  to  the  emperor. 
The  daimio,  as  you  have  learned,  were  only  puppets, 
and  when  the  council  of  the  samurai  had  decided  that 
it  should  be  so,  the  lords  of  the  clan  could  only  submit. 
But  Satsuma's  samurai,  although  they  consulted,  and 
although  the  document  was  sent  to  the  Tenno,  re- 
served to  themselves  the  right  to  postpone  its  enter- 
ing into  effect  until  they  were  satisfied  that  their  clan 
would  receive  due  recognition.  They  were  not  in  favor 
of  a  new  order  of  affairs,  but  preferred  a  feudal  system 
of  which  they  knew  the  ways  and  advantages,  to  a 
new  system  of  which  they  knew  nothing,  especially  if 
their  clan  could  occupy  the  position  so  lately  wrested 
from  the  Tokugawa. 

The  plans  of  Okubo,  Kido,  and  Iwakura,  however, 
met  with  success.  For  the  other  daimio,  or  rather  their 
samurai,  impelled  by  the  example  of  the  great  southern 
clans,  also  placed  their  territories  in  the  hands  of  the 
Tenno.  To  accustom  the  samurai  to  the  change,  these 
lands  were  now  called  departments,  and  the  former 
daimio  were  appointed  as  governors. 

A  new  division  of  the  inhabitants  was  made  into  the 
following  four  classes:  i,  the  kozoku  (koh-dzoh-koo)  or 
imperial  princes ;  2,  the  kazoku  (kah),  the  former  kuge 
and  the  daimio  ;  3,  the  shizoku  (shee),  the  former  samu- 
rai ;  and  4,  the  heimin  (hl-min),  the  common  people. 

Many  of  the  samurai,  however,  were  afraid  that  too 
great  changes  would  be  harmful  to  their  country.  In 
the  deliberative  assembly  of  1869,  the  clerk  of  the 
house,  Ono  (oh-noh),  introduced  a  motion  proposing 
to  abolish  hara-kiri.  Only  three  members  out  of  two 


247 

hundred  and  nine  spoke  in  favor  of  this  motion.  Six 
members  declined  to  vote,  but  two  hundred  voted 
against  it.  In  the  debate  that  preceded  the  voting, 
the  different  speakers  referred  to  this  peculiar  suicide 
as  "the  very  shrine  of  the  Japanese  national  spirit,  and 
the  embodiment  in  practice  of  devotion  to  principle," 
"a  great  ornament  to  the  empire,"  "a  valuable  insti- 
tution, tending  to  the  honor  of  the  nobles,  and  based 
on  a  compassionate  feeling  toward  the  official  caste," 
"a  pillar  of  religion  and  a  spur  to  virtue."  And  Ono, 
who  introduced  this  motion,  was  murdered  not  long 
afterwards. 

But  the  leaders  of  new  Japan  were  determined  to 
control  both  power  and  means  to  carry  out  the  neces- 
sary reforms.  The  income  of  the  former  daimio  was 
appropriated  by  the  government,  and  the  old  feudal 
lords  received  a  pension  equal  to  one  tenth  of  their 
former  revenues.  But  what  was  to  become  of  the 
samurai  ?  These  men,  as  a  class,  despised  trade,  and 
were  by  tradition  and  education  unable  to  earn  their 
own  living.  "Give  them  work  that  suits  them,"  said 
Saigo  Takamori  and  those  samurai  members  of  the 
council  who  sympathized  with  the  fighting  qualities  of 
their  class.  "  We  have  been  humiliated  by  these  for- 
eigners, and  we  are  not  strong  enough  to  fight  them. 
But  there  is  Korea.  It  belongs  to  us,  and  the  king 
has  insulted  our  Tenno.  Let  us  show  these  foreigners 
that,  if  we  are  no  match  for  them,  we  are  at  least  able 
to  vanquish  somebody  else.  And  it  will  please  the 
samurai  to  show  to  the  world  of  what  stuff  they  are 
made." 


248 

"  It  won't  do,"  replied  Okubo,  Kido,  and  those  men 
who  saw  further  ahead.  "  It  is  true  that  Korea  has 
refused  to  receive  our  embassy  and  to  recognize  the 
Tenno,  and  we  shall  settle  that  little  account  afterwards. 
If  we  did  so  now,  these  foreigners  might,  and  probably 
would,  interfere.  When  we  begin  that  game,  we  must 
be  able  to  say :  '  Hands  off !  '  and  to  do  so  we  need 
an  army  and  a  navy  such  as  these  foreigners  have. 
We  must  have  experienced  officers,  able  to  beat  the 
foreigners  at  their  own  game ;  and,  above  all,  we  must 
provide  ourselves  with  a  well-filled  purse.  No,  it  will 
not  do  at  this  time." 

"  But  what  about  the  samurai  ?  Are  you  going  to 
let  them  starve  while  you  are  preparing  ?  "  "  Well, 
we  shall  help  them  as  much  as  we  can,  but  for  the  sake 
of  Japan  we  must  employ  only  the  best  material ;  and 
those  samurai  who  are  possessed  with  the  true  spirit 
will  not  ask  for  help." 

Saigo  and  the  other  representatives  of  the  old 
samurai  class  resigned  their  positions,  and  withdrew 
in  great  anger  to  their  former  clans.  The  samurai 
were  granted  a  pension  of  twenty  dollars  a  year,  or  if 
they  wished,  they  could  sell  their  pensions  to  the  gov- 
ernment. The  less  worthy  among  them  did  so.  A  few 
became  merchants,  and  I  know  of  some  who  grew  rich. 
Others  spent  the  money  in  riotous  living,  and  when  it 
was  gone,  applied  to  the  government  for  help,  only  to 
receive  the  answer:  "Go  and  work!"  I  have  known 
jinrikisha  (jin-rik-shah)  coolies  who  had  been  samurai, 
but  lost  caste,  and  were  earning  an  honest  living  in 
this  humble  manner. 


249 

Saigo  and  his  men  had  the  sympathies  of  a  great 
many  samurai,  and  the.  government  understood  that,  if 
it  would  succeed  in  its  plans,  it  must  have  the  means  to 
suppress  any  attempt  at  rebellion.  It  was  Okubo  again 
who  proposed  the  introduction  of  a  system  of  conscrip- 
tion by  which  a  number  of  able-bodied  young  men 
of  the  common  people  should  be  compelled  to  serve 
in  the  army.  The  young  samurai  of  the  required  age 
were  also  admitted  into  army  and  navy.  French  offi- 
cers were  engaged  to  establish  a  modern  army,  and 
British  officers  to  form  a  modern  navy.  Such  of  the 
samurai  class  as  gave  evidence  of  ability,  were  speedily 
promoted  to  be  officers,  and  attention  was  given  to  the 
influence  of  their  families  in  the  clan.  By  these  means 
an  effective  army,  loyal  to  the  Tenno  alone,  was  speedily 
established. 

Schools  were  opened  and  instructors  were  engaged 
abroad,  and  the  great  mass  of  samurai,  too  old  to  learn 
the  new  system  and  discipline  of  the  army,  gave  ample 
evidence  that  they  were  still  the  leading  power  in 
Japan,  by  the  earnestness  with  which  they  applied 
themselves  to  the  study  of  foreign  languages  and 
books.  The  efforts  of  these  men  were  often  pathetic,  — 
never  ridiculous.  They  wanted  to  learn,  and  they  would 
study  indiscriminately  any  book  that  came  into  their 
hands,  with  a  patience  and  assiduity  that  demanded  re- 
spect. 

The  same  was  the  case  with  young  samurai  boys. 
Teachers  marveled  that  there  was  no  occasion  to  keep 
order.  These  lads  went  to  school  for  no  other  purpose 
than  to  learn,  and  so  long  as  they  felt  that  they  were 


250 

making  progress,  they  were  satisfied  with  their  teacher. 
But  woe  to  the  teacher  who  did  not  understand  his 
business  !  The  entire  class  would  walk  out  and  simply 
declare  to  the  authorities  that  they  did  not  want  to 
study  under  him.  And  the  discharge  of  the  teacher 
followed  at  short  notice. 

It  was  natural  that  the  laws  and  regulations  issued 
by  the  government  should  be  largely  experimental. 
The  aim  was  simple  enough :  Japan  must  be  made 
great  and  powerful,  and  this,  the  real  purpose,  must  be 
kept  hidden  from  the  foreigners.  But  these  experi- 
ments, although  frequently  expensive  and  annoying, 
brought  experience,  which  was  further  increased  when 
a  number  of  influential  and  sagacious  men  were  sent 
around  the  world,  to  investigate  and  report  upon  the 
laws,  customs,  and  institutions  of  Europe  and  America, 
so  that  the  wheat  might  be  separated  from  the  chaff, 
and  Japan  import  only  such  customs  and  laws  as  would 
promote  the  object  in  view. 

Young  men  of  promise  were  provided  with  the  means 
to  go  abroad  for  the  purpose  of  acquiring  such  knowl- 
edge as  would  be  of  advantage  to  Japan.  You  may 
have  met  some  of  these  Japanese  students.  Did  you 
ever  know  one  who  was  not  an  earnest  worker,  who 
did  not  accomplish  the  purpose  for  which  he  was  sent  ? 
Books  on  all  subjects  and  from  all  modern  languages 
were  translated  into  Japanese,  and  eagerly  read  by 
these  men,  who  were  all  actuated  by  the  same  impulse : 
to  be  able  to  serve  their  country. 

Foreigners  might  laugh,  and  deeply  the  Japanese 
samurai  felt  the  insult  —  for  they  are  acutely  sensitive 


251 

to  ridicule  —  when  the  government  proceeded  to  order 
our  fashion  of  dress  adopted  by  the  nobles  and  the  offi- 
cial class. ,  The  topknot  had  been  sacrificed  before  this, 
but  the  Japanese  gentlemen,  accustomed  to  the  freedom 
of  movements  which  the  native  clothing  permits,  felt 
uncomfortable  in  our  close-fitting  suits,  which  rendered 
them  awkward.  However,  the  Tenno  himself  appeared 
in  public  in  the  uniform  of  a  general,  and  it  was  evi- 
dent that,  for  the  army  and  navy,  at  least,  our  fashion 
of  dress  had  the  advantage.  But  these  experiments,  no 
matter  how  trivial  in  themselves,  all  had  the  same  pur- 
pose in  view. 


SAIGO   TAKAMORI 

YOU  must  not  suppose  that,  among  the  four  hundred 
thousand  members  of  the  samurai  class,  there 
were  not  some  who  disapproved  of  the  acts  of  the 
new  government.  The  worthless  ones,  —  and  they  are 
to  be  found  among  all  classes  of  society,  —  had  in- 
deed been  weeded  out,  but  of  those  who  had  kept  to 
their  caste,  although  all  were  impelled  by  love  of  their 
country,  there  were  quite  a  number  who  honestly 
thought  that  the  Tenno's  advisers  were  bringing  the 
country  to  rack  and  ruin.  Some  of  the  councilors 
who  had  resigned  were  very  bitter  against  their  former 
friends;  and  several  of  them,  as  for  instance  Eto 
Shimpei  (ay-toh  sheem-pay),  raised  the  standard  of  rebel- 
lion. But  enough  of  the  clans  remained  loyal,  in  those 
early  days,  to  maintain  the  authority  of  the  govern- 
ment, and  when  more  serious  trouble  occurred  after- 
wards, the  government  was  provided  with  a  loyal  army 
and  navy,  and  a  single  clan  could  not  hope  to  cope 
with  a  united  Japan. 

Although    the    most    progressive    of     the    Tenno's 

advisers,  Okubo,  was  a    Satsuma   man,  that   powerful 

and  warlike  clan  was  among  the  most  dissatisfied,  and 

the  government  was  afraid  to  invoke  strong  measures. 

252 


253 

When  the  departments  were  abolished,  and  the  dif- 
ferent provinces  were  administered  by  officers  sent 
from  Tokyo,  and  the  helpless  daimio  were  ordered  to 
retire  into  private  life  as  kazoku  or  nobles,  the  clan  of 
Satsuma  alone  was  permitted  to  administer  its  own 
affairs.  Shimadzu  Saburo  (shee-mad-zoo  sah-boo-roh), 
the  acting  and  real  daimio,  had  withdrawn  in  high 
dudgeon  to  his  seat  at  Kagoshima,  and  it  required 
a  personal  letter  from  the  Tenno,  added  to  the  persua- 
sion of  a  high  court  noble,  Iwakura,  to  induce  him  to 
visit  Tokyo. 

He  protested  against  everything  that  he  could  not 
understand.  "  Why  cut  off  the  topknot  ?  Why  dis- 
card the  Japanese  dress?  Why  ape  these  foreigners 
in  everything  ?  Is  this  the  country  of  the  gods  or 
not?"  Such  were  some  of  the- questions  asked  by 
him ;  and  although  the  government  offered  him  high 
and  influential  positions,  he  refused  the  bait,  and 
sturdily  declined  to  follow  the  prevailing  fashion,  but 
.continued  to  show  himself  in  topknot,  Japanese  dress, 
and  the  inevitable  two  swords.  Staunch  old  Shimadzu 
thought  that  he  was  representing  the  samurai  class ;  in- 
deed, he  did  represent  a  part  of  them,  and  his  clansmen 
deeply  sympathized  with  him,  and  were  intensely  loyal. 

Among  these  clansmen,  none  had  more  influence 
than  Saigo  Takamori.  He  was  the  ideal  samurai.  Of 
extraordinary  height  for  a  Japanese,  —  he  stood  over 
six  feet,  and  the  Japanese  are  of  very  small  stature,  — 
he  was  of  corresponding  strength  and  excelled  in  all 
the  warlike  exercises  for  which  the  Satsuma  men  were 
famous.  He  was,  besides,  very  courteous  and  kind, 


254 

and  withal  remarkably  brave.  You  have  read  how  he 
was  banished  by  the  Tokugawa  government  in  the 
expiring  days  of  the  Yedo  rule,  and  how  he  was  made 


Scene  from  Taigo  Sakamori's  life 

commander  in  chief  of  the  imperial  forces  under  Prince 
Arisugawa.  He  brought  the  civil  war  to  a  close,  and 
was  rewarded  with  a  pension  for  life.  This  he  refused 
to  accept,  stating  modestly  that  he  had  done  only  his 


255 

duty ;    but  he  was  compelled  to  receive  it  by  special 
orders  from  the  Tenno  himself. 

We  have  seen  how,  as  member  of  the  council,  Saigo 
advised  war  with  Korea.  In  this  he  acted  on  behalf 
of  those  samurai  who,  like  himself,  too  old  to  learn 
new  methods  or  to  acquire  new  tactics,  were  thrown 
out  of  all  prospect  of  honorable  employment.  When 
he  found  his  advice  rejected,  he  resigned  and  with- 
drew to  Kagoshima,  where,  with  the  pension  received 
from  the  government,  he  established  and  maintained 
military  schools,  to  which  a  number  of  dissatisfied 
samurai  from  all  parts  of  Japan  flocked.  Here  they 
were  instructed  in  the  tactics  of  arms,  and  especially 
in  the  use  of  that  deadly  weapon,  the  old  Japanese 
sword. 

The  government  was,  of  course,  perfectly  aware  of 
what  was  going  on,  and  it  was  an  anxious  time  when 
Eto  Shimpei  revolted.  But  Saigo  remained  neutral,  and 
the  government  began  to  hope  that  patriotism  would 
prevail,  and  that  Satsuma  would  submit  at  last.  Sev- 
eral years  passed  by,  and  the  railroad  to  Kyoto  was 
finished  in  1878.  It  had  been  decided  to  celebrate  this 
event,  and  the  Tenno  himself  was  to  visit  the  capital  of 
his  ancestors,  together  with  the  ministers.  This  pro- 
gramme was  carried  out.  Kyoto  was  in  festive  array, 
and  everything  was  ready,  when  the  news  came  that 
Satsuma  had  raised  the  standard  of  rebellion  and  that 
Saigo  had  seized  the  arsenal  at  Kagoshima,  and  was 
with  a  large  force  of  samurai  on  his  march  through 
Kiushiu. 

The  reports  were  true.     To    disguise  the  danger  of 


256 

the  situation,  the  railroad  was  opened  with  the  ap- 
pointed ceremonies,  but  the  perturbed  ministers  de- 
cided to  make  Kyoto  the  temporary  headquarters  of 
the  emperor.  The  government  feared  what  Saigo's 


Japanese  street  scene 

advisers  had  counted  upon  —  that  the  dissatisfied  sam- 
urai of  other  clans  would  create  serious  disturbances 
elsewhere,  and  it  is  more  than  probable  that  at  this 
time  promises  and  concessions  were  made,  whereby 


257 

they  were  assured  that  henceforward  the  samurai 
alone  should  occupy  official  positions.  But  although 
seriously  disturbed,  and  naturally  anxious,  the  minis- 
ters made  excellent  use  of  the  modern  inventions  and 
improvements  introduced  by  them.  The  telegraph 
carried  orders  with  lightning  speed.  Steamships  were 
chartered  or  purchased,  and  Saigo's  old  commander  in 
chief,  Prince  Arisugawa,  was  placed  in  command. 

It  is  very  doubtful  to  me,  who  knew  Saigo  well, 
whether  that  brave  man  ever  intended  to  rebel.  It  is 
far  more  probable  that  his  advisers  had  deceived  him 
into  taking  up  arms.  It  has,  indeed,  been  proved  that 
a  man  of  humble  position  was  arrested  in  Kagoshima, 
who,  under  torture,  was  made  to  confess  that  he  had 
been  sent  by  the  Tenno's  ministers  to  assassinate  the 
Satsuma  leader. 

Whether  Saigo  believed  this  absurd  story  or  not,  the 
other  leaders  of  the  clan  thought  that  the  moment  for 
action  had  arrived,  and  the  old  samurai  spirit  of  loyalty 
to  the  clan  impelled  Saigo  to  place  himself  at  its  head. 
Addresses  were  prepared  in  which  it  was  stated  that 
the  clan  did  not  make  war  upon  the  emperor,  but  upon 
his  advisers,  who  were  ruining  the  country  by  the  re- 
forms which  they  had  instituted.  The  imperial  arsenal 
at  Kagoshima,  in  charge  of  a  Satsuma  officer,  was  sur- 
rendered to  the  rebels  without  a  blow,  and  if  they  had 
marched  promptly,  it  is  not  improbable  that  Japan  would 
have  entered  upon  a  reactionary  career. 

The  island  of  Kiushiu  is  very  mountainous,  and  has 
many  difficult  passes.  The  leaders  of  the  imperial 
army  at  once  decided  to  surround  the  revolted  province 

STO.  OF  JAPAN —  17 


258 

so  as  to  prevent  the  rebellion  from  spreading  and  the 
insurgents  from  receiving  aid  or  reenforcement.  They 
succeeded,  but  only  after  many  hard  and  desperate 
battles  in  which  the  old  samurai  spirit  showed  at  its 
best,  and  the  Japanese  sword  maintained  its  old  repu- 
tation. The  government  was  even  compelled  to  organ- 
ize a  band  of  swordsmen  to  cope  with  the  expert  Satsuma 
men. 

The  clan  seemed  determined  to  fight  to  the  death, 
and  despair  lent  strength  to  the  arms  of  the  samurai, 
but  they  could  not  contend  against  the  organized  forces 
of  the  government.  Kagoshiina  was  taken,  and  the 
rebels  were  hemmed  in.  But  Saigo  with  a  small  band 
of  faithful  men  broke  through  the  circle,  recaptured 
Kagoshima,  and  fortified  himself  upon  a  steep  hill 
beyond  the  town.  Here  he  defended  himself  to  the 
last,  and  when  the  hill  was  taken  and  the  leader 
wounded,  a  friend  performed  the  last  service  by  cut- 
ting off  his  head.  When  this  gory  trophy  was  brought 
to  the  general  in  command  of  the  imperial  forces,  he 
reverently  washed  it,  and  had  it  decently  buried.  Thou- 
sands of  samurai  visit  every  year  the  tomb  of  one  who, 
although  he  died  a  rebel,  is  considered  the  last  of  the 
old  samurai  of  Old  Japan. 


JAPAN'S   PROGRESS 

THE  rebellion  was  subdued,  but  at  great  expense. 
Fifty  thousand  valuable  lives  had  been  lost,  and 
more  than  five  hundred  millions  of  dollars  had  been 
spent  before  this  dangerous  revolt  was  stamped  out. 
And  what  had  been  taught  by  it  ?  Two  lessons  which 
the  government  must  take  to  heart.  The  first  was  that 
the  samurai,  as  a  class,  must  remain  the  rulers  of  Japan, 
and  the  next  was  that  such  national  customs  as  did 
not  interfere  with  the  progress  and  future  greatness  of 
their  country,  must  not  only  be  left  untouched,  but  be 
fostered  and  encouraged. 

Okubo,  who,  by  his  energy,  had  conduced  not  a  little 
to  the  defeat  of  Satsuma,  was  considered  a  traitor  to  his 
clan,  and  no  one  was  astonished  when  he  was  attacked 
in  his  carriage  in  Tokyo,  and  assassinated,  although  many 
mourned  his  loss.  This  murder  proved  how  desperate 
was  the  samurai  spirit,  and  from  this  time  all  the  offices 
were  filled  by  members  of  this  class,  while  a  reaction 
commenced,  under  their  leadership,  tending  toward  the 
preservation  of  Japanese  laws,  habits,  and  customs,  with- 
out hindrance  to  the  improvement  of  army  and  navy, 
the  building  of  railroads,  and  the  developing  of  the 
resources  of  the  country. 

259 


260 

The  kuge  members  of  the  cabinet  or  council  had 
died  or  retired,  and  the  government  was  actually  in  the 
possession  of  the  samurai.  But  the  most  prominent  of 
these  who  were  not  actually  members  of  the  cabinet, 
clamored  for  more  influence.  I  have  shown  you  the 
numerous  good  qualities  of  the  samurai :  the  love  for 
their  country,  their  courage,  and  unselfishness.  But 
while  these  characteristics  are  common  to  them,  they 
have  also  another  which  is  equally  conspicuous,  and 
that  is  conceit.  A  great  many  of  them  believe  that 
they,  and  they  alone,  are  able  to  rule  the  country ;  and 
each  one  is  impatient  because  he  is  not  at  once  ap- 
pointed prime  minister. 

Several  newspapers  had  been  established  in  Tokyo 
and  elsewhere,  and  the  samurai,  who  soon  recognized 
the  influence  of  public  opinion,  took  good  care  that 
these  papers  came  under  their  control.  They  now  could, 
and  did,  clamor  openly  for  more  influence.  "Why 
don't  you  establish  a  parliament,  and  give  us  a  con- 
stitution ?"  they  asked.  "His  Majesty  the  Tenno  "- 
mentioning  the  emperor  with  expressions  of  the  great- 
est reverence  —  "was  good  enough  to  promise  us  this 
boon.  It  is  you,  the  emperor's  advisers,  who  prevent 
him.  You  are  traitors  to  him  and  to  your  country." 

The  ministers  could,  and  did,  suspend  such  papers, 
but  others  sprang  up  and  repeated  the  complaint  over 
and  over  again.  The  ministers  had  the  good  sense 
not  to  be  too  sensitive  to  these  remarks,  and  to  decline 
handing  the  government  over  to  these  self-constituted 
critics.  But  a  number  of  the  samurai  began  at  last  to 
believe  that  they  had  a  real  grievance,  and  the  govern- 


26l 


ment  was  compelled  in  1880  to  promise  that  a  constitu- 
tion would  be  given  and  a  parliament  established  within 
ten  years  from  that  time.  The  clamoring  samurai  had 
to  be  satisfied  with  this,  but  there  were  other  ways  in 
which  to  keep  themselves  prominently  before  their 
fellow-clansmen,  and  one  of  these  was  by  the  agitation 
of  revision  of  the  treaties. 

I  have  told  you  several  times  that  the  samurai  rule 
the  people  of  Japan  in  a  just  and  humane  manner,  but 
in  return  they  expect  the  deepest  reverence  and  im- 
plicit obedience.  Now  when  the  first  treaties  were  made, 
very  little  was  known  of  the  Japanese  by  foreigners. 
But  the  ministers  of  foreign  nations  did  know  that  they 
had  no  written  laws,  that  torture  could  be  applied  at  the 
option  of  the  judge,  and  that  a  certain  number  of  blows 
was  a  mild  and  moderate  punishment.  Under  these 
circumstances  they  refused,  of  course,  to  allow  their 
fellow-citizens  to  be  brought  before  native  judges,  and 
it  was  stated  in  the  treaties  that  foreigners  should  be 
judged  only  according  to  their  own  laws  and  before  the 
consuls  appointed  by  their  government. 

These  treaties  should  have  been  revised  in  1872;  but 
although  the  Japanese  had  been  at  work  to  establish 
a  code  of  written  laws,  the  foreign  ministers  were  not 
satisfied  that  their  fellow-citizens  would  obtain  justice, 
and  the  revision  of  the  treaties  was  constantly  post- 
poned. This  roused  the  Japanese  samurai  to  anger. 
"Why  may  we  not  judge  those  proud,  arrogant  foreign 
merchants,  who  imagine  themselves  as  good  if  not  bet- 
ter than  a  samurai  ?  " 

The  government,  although  it  appeared  to  exert  itself 


262 

to  the  utmost,  was  not  in  reality  anxious  to  have  juris- 
diction over  foreigners.  It  knew  that  in  a  case  of  a 
foreigner  against  a  samurai,  not  a  judge  in  Japan 
(where  every  judge  belongs  to  the  samurai  class)  would 
dare  give  a  judgment  in  favor  of  the  foreigner,  and  it 
knew  also  that  foreign  governments  were  in  the  habit 
of  seeing  their  subjects  protected  in  their  rights.  But 
the  samurai  as  a  class  did  not  take  this  point  of  view. 
They  wanted  to  be  able  to  humble  those  proud  foreign- 
ers, and  to  avenge  themselves  for  the  slights  to  which 
some  of  them  had  been  exposed. 

Count  Okuma(oh'-koo-mah),  then  prime  minister,  had 
a  dynamite  bomb  thrown  under  him,  which  wounded 
him  so  severely  as  to  render  amputation  of  a  leg  nec- 
essary. 

These  events  show  how  much  of  our  civilization  had 
been  acquired  by  the  Japanese.  Count  Ito  went  to 
Europe  to  study  the  different  constitutions,  and  when 
he  returned  he  prepared  one  after  the  law  of  the  Ger- 
man Empire.  Japan  was  to  have  a  Diet,  as  the  German 
Congress  is  called,  consisting  of  two  houses,  as  does  our 
own  Congress.  The  House  of  Representatives  was  to 
be  elected  by  the  people,  but  the  samurai  would  take 
good  care  that  none  but  members  of  their  class  should 
take  a  seat.  This  was  not  very  difficult,  for  the  people 
were  really  well  pleased  to  attend  to  their  own  business 
and  leave  the  duty  of  governing,  that  is,  of  making  laws 
and  executing  them,  to  their  old-time  masters  who  had 
nothing  else  to  do,  and  plenty  of  experience  besides. 
The  House  of  Lords,  corresponding  to  our  Senate,  con- 
sisted of  hereditary  members  such  as  princes  of  the 


263 

blood ;  that  is,  princes  related  to  the  emperor  and  the 
highest  kuge  and  daimio. 

The  other  nobles  were  elected  by  members  of  their 
own  rank ;  but  the  emperor  had  the  right  to  appoint 
members  for  special  services.  This  and  the  fact  that 
several  samurai  had  received  titles  equal  to  or  even 
higher  than  their  former  lords,  rendered  it  highly  prob- 
able that  the  nobles  would  vote  as  the  samurai  decided. 
But  to  make  this  still  more  certain,  they  appointed 
members  of  their  own  class  as  stewards  in  the  resi- 
dences of  the  kuge,  daimio,  and  even  of  the  imperial 
princes,  who  were  to  receive  the  salaries,  pensions,  or 
revenues  of  these  nobles,  and  disburse  them.  They 
found  cause  for  doing  so  in  the  fact  that  some  nobles, 
unaccustomed  to  think  or  act  for  themselves,  and  never 
having  been  allowed  to  spend  money,  were  found,  upon 
receiving  a  more  or  less  large  sum,  to  commit  extrava- 
gances promising  speedy  impoverishment.  The  nobles 
did  not  object  any  more  than  the  common  people ;  and 
so  these  samurai  could  influence,  if  not  control,  the 
votes  of  their  employers. 

The  promised  constitution  was  duly  published  in 
1889;  the  Tenno  took  the  oath  to  his  divine  ancestors, 
and  the  Diet  was  opened  with  great  festivities.  The 
Houses  met,  and,  for  novices  in  parliamentary  debate, 
did  very  well.  Of  course,  the  heat  of  discussion  would 
sometimes  lead  to  breaches  of  that  politeness  for  which 
the  Japanese  samurai  are  celebrated ;  but  the  odd 
spectacle  was  offered  of  an  overwhelming  majority 
in  the  opposition  without  its  members  being  able 
to  agree  among  themselves.  This  was  owing  to 


264 

the  humble  opinion  hidden  in  each  breast  that  the 
owner  was  the  only  man  for  the  occasion,  and  that  he, 
for  the  glory  of  Japan,  should  at  once  be  appointed 
prime  minister. 

The  members  of  the  cabinet  were  constantly  attacked 
in  the  debate.  For  a  long  time  the  revision  of  the 
treaties  was  the  apparent  cause.  But  England  signed 
the  revised  treaty  in  1894;  other  nations  did  the  same; 
and  foreigners  living  in  Japan  will  be  placed  under 
Japanese  jurisdiction  when  the  new  treaties  go  into 
effect,  that  is,  on  July  16,  1899. 


WAR  WITH    CHINA 

IT  was  twenty-six  years  since  1868,  when  Japan's 
leading  samurai  had  formed  the  plan  to  introduce 
reforms  which  would  enable  the  Tenno's  realm  to  hold 
its  own  among  the  civilized  nations  of  the  earth.  Had 
success  crowned  their  efforts  ?  Was  this  country  in- 
deed able  to  brave  any  of  the  powers  that  had  humili- 
ated it  at  Kagoshima  and  Shimonoseki  ?  Had  the 
longed-for  time  at  last  arrived  when  deeply  resented 
insults  could  be  wiped  out  and  old  scores  paid  off  ? 

You  have  seen  how  the  refusal  of  Korea  to  receive 
the  Tenno's  ambassador  had  been  resented  by  the  more 
impatient  samurai,  and  how  the  unwillingness  of  the 
government  to  take  speedy  revenge  had  led  to  serious 
revolts.  A  few  years,later,  another  effort  had  been  made 
to  enter  into  communication  with  the  king  of  Korea,  and 
again  an  insult  had  been  offered.  These  slights,  appar- 
ently passed  over,  had  not  been  forgotten ;  and  when, 
in  1876,  the  Japanese  had  the  opportunity  to  dispatch 
an  armed  force  without  alarming  either  Russia  or  Eng- 
land, they  compelled  the  Koreans  to  enter  into  a  treaty 
of  friendship  and  commerce,  and  obtained  the  right  to 
reside  and  trade  in  three  seaports  and  in  the  capital, 
Soul. 

265 


266 

In  the  opinion  of  the  Japanese  samurai,  Korea  was  a 
dependency  of  Japan,  owing  to  the  conquest  first  under 
Empress  Jingu  and  afterwards  under  the  regent  Hide- 
yoshi ;  and  it  was  therefore  no  wonder  that  the  Japanese 
minister  in  Korea  used  his  utmost  endeavors  to  bring 
that  peninsula  under  the  rule  of  the  Tenno.  Serious 
disturbances  took  place  twice,  and  the  cause  was  easily 
traceable  to  Japanese  intrigues.  It  was  to  counteract 
them  that  Li  Hung  Chang,  the  great  Chinese  states- 
man, advised  the  Korean  king  to  enter  into  treaties 
with  other  nations;  so  that  in  1882  Commodore  Shu- 
feldt  signed  a  treaty  on  behal-f  of  the  United  States,  and 
since  that  time  Americans  may  reside  and  trade  in  that 
unhappy  Land  of  the  Morning  Calm.  England,  France, 
Germany,  and  Russia  made  treaties  similar  to  that  with 
the  United  States. 

In  1884  a  serious  disturbance  took  place.  The  Jap- 
anese had  made  an  agreement  with  a  high  Korean  official, 
Kim  ok  Kyun  (kyoon),  to  capture  and  carry  off  the  king  ; 
but  the  plot  failed,  and  both  the  Japanese  minister  and 
the  Korean,  with  his  fellow-conspirators,  fled  to  Japan. 
After  that  Kim  ok  Kyun  lived  in  Japan,  where  he  was 
supported  for  ten  years  by  the  Japanese.  In  March, 
1894,  he  was  induced  to  come  to  Shanghai,  where  he 
was  murdered  by  a  Korean.  The  honor  paid  by  China 
and  Korea  to  the  murderer  made  the  Japanese  furious. 

It  must  be  stated  here  that  there  is  no  country  on 
earth,  not  even  China,  that  is  so  wretchedly  governed 
as  Korea.  The  officers  seem  to  be  appointed  for  the 
sole  purpose  of  robbing  and  stealing.  A  Korean 
farmer,  when  his  crop  of  rice  is  very  bountiful,  will 


267 

harvest  only  enough  to  support  him  and  his  family 
until  the  next  season,  and  to  have  sufficient  for  seed. 
"  Why  should  I  harvest  more  ? "  a  Korean  will  say, 
"that  the  mandarins  (officers)  may  come  and  rob  me 
of  it  ?  If  they  want  that  rice,  let  them  go  and  cut  it 
themselves." 

There  had  been  a  failure  of  the  crop  in  a  southern 
province  of  Korea,  and  several  people,  dissatisfied  with 
the  officers,  had  begun  a  small  rebellion.  These  people 
called  themselves  reformers,  and  they  robbed  and  plun- 
dered until  the  king  sent  some  soldiers  against  them. 
But  these  soldiers  accomplished  nothing,  and  the  rebels 
did  as  they  pleased. 

The  foreign  ministers  in  Korea,  with  the  exception  of 
Mr.  J.  N.  B.  Sill,  minister  of  the  United  States,  Otori, 
minister  of  Japan,  and  Yuan  (yoo-ahn),  minister  of  China, 
were  all  absent  on  their  vacation,  when  Yuan  insisted 
that  the  king  should  ask  the  emperor  of  China  for  help 
to  subdue  the  rebels.  The  king  resisted  for  three 
weeks,  but  when  the  queen  and  her  cousin  Min,  the 
prime  minister,  also  begged  him  to  do  so,  he  submitted, 
and  the  request  was  sent.  The  Japanese  kept  them- 
selves well  informed,  and  the  fact  was  soon  known  to 
the  Tokyo  government. 

Japan  had  entered  into  a  treaty  with  China,  by  which 
each  agreed  to  send  no  troops  into  Korea  without  noti- 
fying the  other  power ;  and  when  Japan  knew  that 
China  was  preparing  to  dispatch  a  force,  it  was  de- 
cided that  now  or  never  was  the  time  to  try  the 
efficiency  of  army  and  navy,  and  at  the  same  time  to 
satisfy  the  war  party  of  the  samurai,  and  incidentally 


268 

to  settle  old  scores  with  Korea.  No  better  time  could 
have  been  chosen.  Neither  Europe  nor  America  ex- 
pected any  disturbance,  and  no  single  power  was  pre- 
pared to  interfere,  while  jealousy  prevented  the  great 
powers  of  Europe  from  acting  together.  When  at  last 
China  was  ready  to  send  troops,  and  notified  Japan, 
the  Japanese  minister  in  Peking  made  a  similar  com- 
munication to  the  Chinese  government.  And  so  much 
dispatch  had  been  used  by  the  Japanese  authorities 
that  Otori  (oh'-toh-ree)  could  boast  that  the  Japanese 
troops  had  landed  at  the  port  of  Soiil  one  hour  before 
the  first  Chinese  soldiers  came  ashore. 

And  now  the  Japanese  government,  knowing  that 
the  die  was  cast,  continued  its  preparations  steadily, 
but  as  secretly  as  possible.  The  reserves  of  the  army 
were  called  out,  and  the  navy  left  for  Korea,  every  man 
determined  to  do  his  duty.  The  Japanese  then  gave 
notice  to  the  Chinese  government  not  to  send  any  more 
troops  ;  declaring  that  if  it  did  so,  the  government  would 
consider  it  an  unfriendly  act,  in  other  words,  it  would 
mean  war. 

The  Chinese  government  had  engaged  several  Eng- 
lish vessels  to  transport  Chinese  soldiers,  and  one  of 
these,  an  English  ship,  the  Kowshing,  was  overtaken 
by  a  Japanese  man-of-war,  and  ordered  to  follow  her. 
The  captain  signaled  that  the  Chinese  prevented  him 
from  obeying,  whereupon  he  was  advised  to  jump  over- 
board. The  Japanese  now  fired  upon  the  transport, 
and  sunk  her. 

This  happened  in  July,  1894.  The  Japanese,  in  the 
meanwhile,  had  continued  sending  troops  to  Korea,  until 


269 

there  were  about  three  thousand  men  in  Soul,  while 
the  Chinese  had  fortified  themselves  at  Asan  (ah-sahn), 
a  port  on  the  western  coast  of  Korea.  It  was 
decided  to  drive  out  the  Chinese  troops,  and  Otori 
demanded  of  the  king  that  he  should  order  them  to 
leave.  The  king  replied  mildly  that  he  could  not 
very  well  do  so,  since  they  had  been  sent  at  his 


Japanese  landing  troops 

request.  But  Otori  knew  how  the  Koreans  detested 
the  Japanese,  so  he  decided  to  capture  the  king  and 
keep  him  as  a  hostage,  while  the  Japanese  army  left  for 
the  south. 

At  four  o'clock  of  the  morning  of  July  23,  1894,  the 
Japanese  minister  took  the  necessary  measures.  The 
city  walls,  near  the  palace,  were  occupied  by  his  troops, 


270 

and  a  detachment  marched  to  the  principal  gate  of  the 
palace.  They  first  attempted  to  burn  the  gate,  but 
when  this  failed,  they  scaled  the  wall  with  a  ladder 
and  opened  the  gate  from  the  inside.  They  then 
entered  the  grounds  and  marched  upon  the  palace. 
Here  was  the  frightened  Korean  guard,  and  a  shot  was 
fired.  Who  fired  it  will  probably  never  be  known, 
but  an  engagement  followed  in  which  one  Japanese  and 
seventeen  Koreans  were  killed,  and  several  of  each 
party  were  hurt.  The  Japanese  occupied  the  palace 
and  kept  the  king  a  prisoner  in  it. 

They  were  now  ready  to  march  upon  Asan,  and  lost 
no  time  in  doing  so.  Have  you,  my  young  friends,  any 
idea  of  what  a  Chinese  army  is?  Try,  if  you  can,  to 
imagine  soldiers  going  to  war  with  umbrellas,  to  keep 
from  getting  wet  if  it  should  rain !  And  think  of  offi- 
cers who  have  studied  tactics  that  say :  "  When  you 
are  in  the  presence  of  the  enemy,  put  on  hideous 
masks,  and  make  horrible  noises,  so  that  they  may  be 
frightened."  I  have  seen  Chinese  soldiers  going  to 
fight  the  Japanese,  armed  with  bamboo  poles,  sharp- 
ened with  tenpenny  nails  at  the  top.  And  I  have 
seen  others  who  when  ready  to  fire  off  their  guns, 
would  close  their  eyes,  and  pull  the  trigger.  These 
men  were  not  regular  soldiers  at  all ;  they  were  cool- 
ies, hired  for  this  war.  Most  of  them  were  stalwart 
enough,  and  with  plenty  of  drill,  they  could  have  been 
trained  as  soldiers ;  untrained  as  they  were,  and  led  by 
cowardly  and  ignorant  officers,  what  chance  had  they 
against  the  well-disciplined,  drilled,  and  splendidly  com- 
manded troops  of  Japan  —  a  nation  naturally  warlike? 


2/1 

The  Japanese  troops  had  come  to  fight,  and  went 
into  battle  willing  to  die  for  their  Tenno  and  their 
country.  The  Chinese  had  been  promised  fifty  taels 
(about  $37.50)  for  every  Japanese  head  they  brought 
to  their  general.  So  they  wanted  to  cut  off  heads,  but 
did  not  care  about  losing  their  own.  In  the  battle  near 
Asan,  on  July  29,  1894,  the  Japanese  utterly  routed  the 


Chinese  soldiers 

enemy.  The  Chinese  dispersed ;  the  officers  and  gen- 
erals disguised  themselves  as  coolies,  and  made  their 
way  north. 

China  had  sent  reinforcements,  and  its  troops  then 
occupied  a  very  strong  position  at  Ping-yang,  on  the 
Tatung  River.  August  passed  by  without  further  fight- 
ing, although  war  had  been  regularly  declared  on  the. 
first  of  that  month.  On  the  I4th  of  September,  the 


272 

Japanese  army,  in  command  of  Field  Marshal  Yama- 
gata  (yah-mahng'-ah-tah),  was  opposite  the  enemy,  and 
on  the  1 5th  and  i6th  a  battle  took  place.  The  Manchu- 
rian  cavalry,  a  body  of  five  hundred  men,  made  a  charge, 
but  that  was  all  the  fighting,  so  far  as  the  Chinese  were 
concerned.  The  Japanese  took  a  steep  hill  at  the  point 
of  the  bayonet,  and  easily  dislodged  the  Chinese.  Ping- 
yang  was  taken,  and  Yamagata  began  his  march  north 
to  the  Yalu  (yah-loo)  River,  which  forms  the  boundary 
between  China  and  Korea. 

This  part  of  China  is  called  Manchuria,  and  is  the 
cradle  of  the  present  house  of  Chinese  emperors.  They 
were  very  sorry  to  see  this  province  invaded,  and  pre- 
pared to  send  strong  reinforcements  to  arrest  the  Japa- 
nese march.  This  led  to  the  first  and  only  naval 
battle  of  the  war.  While  the  Japanese  fleet  was  scour- 
ing the  Yellow  Sea  to  intercept  the  enemy's  transports, 
smoke  was  seen  in  the  distance  to  the  north.  Steaming 
in  that  direction,  Admiral  Ito,  in  command  of  the  Japa- 
nese fleet,  discovered  that  it  was  the  famous  North 
China  fleet,  and  that  it  had  been  conveying  transports. 

The  eager  Japanese  at  once  prepared  for  battle,  and 
since  their  fleet  hemmed  the  enemy  in  on  the  sea  side, 
the  Chinese  were  compelled  to  engage  in  a  fight  for 
which  they  had  but  little  taste.  They  had,  in  reality,  a 
stronger  force  than  the  Japanese,  and  their  two  battle- 
ships alone,  the  Ting-yucn  (teng-yoon)  and  the  CJieng- 
yncn  (cheng-yoon),  ought  to  have  defeated  the  less 
powerful  Japanese  fleet.  But  the  weakness  of  the 
Tenno's  vessels  was  more  than  counterbalanced  by  the 
patriotism,  courage,  and  seamanship  of  the  officers  and 


273 

crew.  Every  man,  from  admiral  to  powder  monkey, 
was  eager  for  the  fight,  and  firmly  resolved  to  do  his 
duty.  The  result  was  easy  to  foretell.  The  Chinese 
lost  several  vessels,  and  it  was  with  difficulty  that  the 
pride  of  China's  navy,  the  two  battleships  from  which 
such  great  things  had  been  expected,  made  their  way 
back  to  Wei-hai-wei  (way-hi-way).  This  battle  made 
the  Japanese  masters  of  the  Yellow  Sea,  and  the  great 
Chinese  empire  could  send  no  more  troops  by  water. 

Yamagata  had  little  difficulty  in  forcing  his  way 
across  the  Yalu  River,  and  started  upon  his  long  march 
to  Peking.  At  this  time,  that  is,  in  the  beginning  of 
November,  a  second  army  had  left  Japan,  and,  without 
meeting  any  obstruction,  had  landed  at  Ta-lien-wan 
(tah-lyen-wahng),  a  sheltered  bay  on  the  southeast  coast 
of  the  Liao-tung  (lee-ah-oh-tongue)  peninsula. 

If  you  will  take  the  map  of  Japan,  and  look  at 
that  large  gulf  called  the  Yellow  Sea,  yo*u  will  see 
a  smaller  body  of  water,  the  Gulf  of  Pechili  (pech-ee- 
lee),  to  the  northwest  of  it.  This  is  the  key  to  Peking, 
the  capital  of  China.  On  the  north,  this  entrance  was 
protected  by  the  southern  point  of  the  Liao-tung  penin- 
sula, known  as  Port  Arthur.  The  ablest  engineers  had 
constructed  the  walls  and  forts,  and  the  natural  position 
was  so  strong  that  foreign  military  men  had  pronounced 
it  impregnable. 

Right  opposite  the  Liao-tung  peninsula,  on  the  south- 
ern coast  of  the  Gulf  of  Pechili,  is  the  Shan-tung  (shahn- 
tongue)  peninsula.  West  of  its  northeastern  extremity 
is  a  small  natural  harbor,  defended  by  steep  islands 
in  front.  Here,  too,  the  hand  of  man  has  aided  the 

STO.  OF  JAPAN  —  1 8 


274 

forces  of  nature,  and  the  result  is  a  basin  where,  with 
the  most  ordinary  precautions,  a  fleet  may  remain  in 
complete  security,  and  mock  at  the  efforts  of  the  boldest 
enemy. 

Japan  had  firmly  decided  to  march  upon  Peking  and 
to  dictate  there  the  terms  of  peace  to  the  "  Solitary 
Man,"  as  the  Chinese  call  their  emperor.  But  to  pre- 
vent being  attacked  in  the  rear,  she  wanted  to  capture 
both  Port  Arthur  and  Wei-hai-wei.  As  she  could  not 

hope  to  be  able  to 
take  Port  Arthur  by  a 
front  attack,  she  con- 
cluded to  approach  it 
from  the  land  side, 
that  is,  from  the  rear. 
That  is  why  Mar- 
shal Oyama  (oh-yah- 
mah)  had  landed  at 
Army  flag  Ta-lien-wan,  and  was 

now  on  the  march  against  the  strong  fortress. 

Escape  by  way  of  land  was  cut  off  to  the  Chinese 
braves  (as  the  soldiers  were  called)  defending  the  for- 
tress, and  the  presence  of  the  Japanese  fleet  prevented 
their  escape  by  sea.  Now,  driven  in  a  corner,  even 
Chinese  soldiers  will  fight.  But  what  could  they  do 
against  the  well-drilled  and  disciplined  troops  of  Japan  ? 
The  officers  commanding  the  Tenno's  troops  were  old 
Satsuma  or  Choshiu  samurai,  who  were  now  in  their 
true  element.  Field  Marshal  Oya'ma  was  in  supreme 
command,  and  General  Yamaji  (yah-mah-yee),  the  Blind 
Dragon,  as  he  was  affectionately  called  by  his  troops, 


2/5 

because  he  had  but  one  eye,  commanded  the  attack. 
Yamaji  gained  much  honor  by  his  coolness  and  su- 
preme indifference  to  danger.  On  November  21,  the 
impregnable  stronghold  was  captured,  and  the  red  sun 
on  the  white  field  floated  over  China's  strongest  fortress. 

Up  to  this  time  the  Japanese  had  conducted  the  war 
most  humanely,  and  had  earned  the  well-deserved 
admiration  of  the  whole  civilized  world.  The  discipline 
had  been  perfect.  No  blood  had  been  shed  wantonly ; 
peaceful  inhabitants  had  been  left  undisturbed  in  life 
and  property,  and  prisoners  taken  in  battle  had  been 
kindly  cared  for.  The  wounded  Chinese  had  received 
the  same  care  and  attention  as  was  given  to  the 
wounded  Japanese,  and  the  severest  critic  could  find 
no  cause  for  reproach. 

How  differently  had  the  Chinese  acted!  Wounded 
Japanese  on  a  battlefield  were  eagerly  sought,  that  they 
might  be  robbed  of  their  clothing  and  valuables,  and 
their  heads  were  cut  off  for  the  sake  of  the  promised 
reward.  The  cool  and  brave  members  of  the  Red 
Cross  Society,  when  searching  for  the  wounded,  regard- 
less whether  they  were  friends  or  enemies,  had  been  fre- 
quently attacked  by  these  Chinese  monsters,  and  when 
taken  prisoners  had  been  mutilated  and  put  to  death. 
A  brave  foreign  naval  officer,  who  was  not  in  sympathy 
with  Japan,  told  me  that  if  American  or  European  sol- 
diers had  conducted  this  war,  they  would  have  laid 
waste  the  territory  through  which  they  passed,  to  teach 
the  Chinese  the  lesson  that  such  barbarous  cruelty  can 
not  remain  unpunished. 

When  the   Japanese   entered    Port   Arthur  and  wit- 


2/6 

nessed  there  the  horrible  outrages  committed  upon  their 
countrymen,  they  were  filled  with  rage,  and  determined 
to  retaliate.  The  whole  population  was  put  to  the 
sword,  the  innocent  suffering  with  the  guilty;  but  the 
Chinese  for  once  received  a  much-needed  lesson. 

Through  the  inclement  climate  of  Manchuria,  in  a 
desert  of  snow  and  ice,  the  first  army  corps  continued 
slowly  to  advance.  There  was  some  doubt  whether 
they  would  proceed  to  the  northeast  and  capture  Mouk- 
den  (mook-den),  the  capital  of  Manchuria,  or  continue 
their  way  toward  the  Chinese  capital. 

It  was  in  the  latter  part  of  January,  1895,  that  the 
third  army,  placed  in  command  of  Field  Marshal  Oyama, 
left  for  the  Shan-tung  peninsula  to  capture  Wei-hai-wei 
in  conjunction  with  the  fleet.  Again  the  army  landed 
without  difficulty,  some  distance  east  of  the  doomed 
stronghold,  and,  dividing  into  three  corps,  advanced  by 
rapid  marches.  The  Chinese  had  sunk  several  junks, 
and  further  strengthened  the  defenses  of  the  entrance 
to  the  basin  containing  their  crippled  fleet,  by  a  strong 
chain.  But  little  did  the  bold  Japanese  care.  Torpedo 
boats  succeeded  in  effecting  an  entrance,  and  one  of 
them  rammed  one  of  the  great  battleships  so  that  she 
sunk  at  her  moorings.  Fleet  and  fortress  surrendered, 
and  the  Chinese  admiral,  knowing  that  he  would  be 
held  responsible  for  the  loss  of  the  fleet,  committed 
suicide. 

At  last  Niuchwang  (nee-oo-chwang)  was  reached  and 
taken  May  4. 

Meanwhile  China  had  grown  tired  of  the  war.  The 
Japanese  had  exposed  the  incapacity  and  corruption  of 


277 

the  Chinese  government,  and  no  foreign  power  showed 
any  desire  to  come  to  its  rescue.  The  Japanese  were, 
naturally  enough,  elated  over  their  victories,  and  the 
native  press  began  to  suggest  that  it  was  time  to  estab- 
lish a  protectorate  over  the  huge  empire,  and  that  the 
Japanese  were  the  people  to  assume  that  duty.  The 
Chinese  began  to  express  a  wish  to  enter  into  negotia- 
tions for  peace.  But  the  Japanese  declined  receiving 


Emperor  Mutsuhito  reviewing  his  troops 

any  one  who  was  not  provided  with  full  authority  to 
sign  a  treaty,  and  in  the  meanwhile  ^continued  their 
preparations  to  send  a  third  army. 

The  emperor  had  established  his  headquarters  at 
Hiroshima  (hee-ro-shee-mah),  and  had  called  a  session 
of  the  Diet,  to  vote  the  necessary  money  to  carry  on 
the  war.  There  was,  of  course,  no  opposition.  Every 
member,  every  samurai,  would  gladly  have  given  his  last 


2/8 

penny  and  his  life,  had  the  glory  of  Japan  demanded  it. 
Even  the  people  had  taken  the  patriotic  fever,  and  poor 
jinrikisha  coolies  would  devote  part  of  their  scanty  earn- 
ings to  increase  the  war  fund  composed  of  voluntary 
contributions. 

China's  old  statesman,  Li  Hung  Chang,  was  now 
called  to  Peking,  and  ordered  to  proceed  to  Japan,  to 
make  peace.  Before  leaving,  he  called  on  the  foreign 
ministers  and  probably  satisfied  himself  as  to  how  much 
the  Japanese  would  be  allowed  to  demand.  Through 
the  United  States  minister  in  Tokyo,  the  Japanese 
government  was  informed  of  Li's  arrival,  and  Shimo- 
noseki,  Japan,  was  appointed  as  the  place  where  the 
negotiations  should  be  held.  The  Chinese  government 
had  engaged  the  services  of  Hon.  John  W.  Foster  of 
Washington,  D.C.,  on  account  of  his  knowledge  of 
international  law. 

Li  Hung  Chang  arrived  in  Japan  and  met  our  old 
friend,  Ito,  the  prime  minister,  who  was  appointed  by  the 
Tenno  to  represent  Japan.  One  day,  as  the  Chinese 
minister  was  returning  from  the  meeting,  a  young  Japa- 
nese fired  a  small  revolver  at  him.  The  bullet  pene- 
trated above  the  eye.  The  murderer  was  taken  prisoner, 
and  upon  examination  it  was  found  that  he  was  not  a 
samurai,  but  the  son  of  a  poor  farmer,  who  had  shown 
a  worthless  character  from  early  youth.  He  had  joined 
the  soshi  (soh-shee), — young  vagabonds,  too  lazy  to 
work,  who  openly  sell  their  services  to  the  highest  bidder, 
to  produce  a  riot,  to  commit  murder,  or  any  other  lawless 
act  They  are  known  to  the  government  and  to  the 
police,  and  not  only  are  they  tolerated,  but  it  seems 


2/9 

they  even  receive  support.  The  only  explanation  that 
can  be  given  is  that  their  leaders  are  samurai,  which 
would  fully  account  for  their  immunity.  The  murderer 
was  arraigned  in  court,  and  condemned  to  imprisonment 
for  life. 

His  victim  recovered,  and  the  peace  negotiations 
were  resumed.  At  last  the  two  statesmen  came  to  an 
agreement.  By  the  terms  of  the  treaty  of  Shimonoseki, 
signed  on  April  17,  1895,  the  independence  of  Korea 
was  to  be  acknowledged,  China  was  to  give  to  Japan 
the  island  of  Formosa,  the  Liao-tung  peninsula,  and 
other  territory,  besides  paying  an  indemnity  of  two 
hundred  million  taels  (about  one  hundred  and  forty- 
eight*  million  dollars);  so  you  see  that  her  incapacity 
and  corruption  cost  her  very  dear.  But  now  Russia, 
France,  and  Germany  interfered.  The  ministers  of 
those  countries  gave  Japan  the  friendly  advice  not  to 
take  the  Liao-tung  peninsula,  which  meant  the  same 
thing  as  saying  :  "You  shall  not  do  it!  "  The  Japanese 
government  understood  it  in  that  way;  and  knowing 
that  it  could  not  hope  to  fight  those  three  countries 
with  any  chance  of  success,  it  submitted,  agreeing  to 
accept,  instead,  an  additional  indemnity  of  thirty  million 
taels. 

You  can  easily  understand  how  angry  the  Japanese, 
and  especially  the  samurai,  were  when  they  heard  of 
this  interference.  But  they  could  do  nothing  but  dis- 
guise their  feelings,  and  continue  their  preparations 
until  at  last  they  might  be  able  to  retaliate  on  all  the 
nations  that  had  thwarted  or  insulted  them. 


MUTSUHITO,    EMPEROR    OF  JAPAN 

ON  November  3,  1852,  while  Commodore  Perry  was 
making  preparations  to  sail  for  Japan,  the  present 
emperor,  Mutsuhito,  was  born,  in  the  old  Tenno  palace 
in  Kyoto.  His  father,  Emperor  Komei,  had  lived,  as 
had  the  descendants  of  the  sun  goddess  for  so  many 
hundreds  of  years,  in  absolute  seclusion  from  the  world, 

seeing  only  the  faces 
of  the  members  of 
his  immediate  house- 
hold, who  prostrated 
themselves  in  the 
dust  whenever  they 
approached  their 
august  sovereign. 
Within  the  palace  he 
Imperial  flag  reigned  supreme ;  and 

it  is  more  than  probable  that  he  imagined  that  his  will 
was  law  throughout  the  empire.  But  the  regents  were 
masters  of  Japan,  and  at  the  time  of  Mutsuhito's  birth 
there  seemed  very  little  likelihood  that  the  heir  to  the 
throne  would  be  more  than  a  shadow  ruler. 

He  was  taught  to  read  and  write  Chinese  as  well  as 
Japanese  characters ;  to  reverence  the  gods,  his  ances- 
280 


281 

tors,  and  above  all,  his  father,  as  their  living  representa- 
tive ;  he  learned,  from  earliest  youth,  to  behave  himself 
with  the  dignity  due  to  his  birth,  and  to  act  upon  the 
suggestions  of  such  of  his  attendants  as  by  birth  and 
rank  were  entitled  to  offer  them. 

He  had  absolutely  no  amusements.  He  did  not  know 
what  the  words  "playmate"  and  "toy"  meant.  To  the 
Japanese  boy,  from  samurai  up  to  Tennd,  there  exists  no 
such  thing  as  play  or  fun.  Life  to  him  is  a  sober 
existence  revolving  around  one  center,  —  duty. 

The  seeds  of  revolution  planted  during  the  two 
hundred  and  fifty  years  of  peace  under  the  descendants 
of  lyeyasu  had  begun  to  sprout.  Perry's  arrival  acted 
like  a  warm  rain  after  a  prolonged  drought,  and  signs 
appeared  everywhere  that  the  harvest  was  at  hand. 
Did  those  hermits  within  the  palace  walls  note  the 
signs  of  the  times,  or  were  they  too  august  to  be  in- 
formed that  their  dwelling  was  guarded  more  jealously 
than  ever,  that  armed  samurai,  trusted  councilors  of 
powerful  clans,  were  hiding  in  the  old  capital,  and  that 
the  Yamato  Damashii  was  abroad,  looking  toward  the 
descendant  of  the  gods,  and  imploring  help  from  him  ? 

I  do  not  think  it  likely  that  Emperor  Komei  knew 
anything  of  what  was  going  on ;  but  in  all  probability 
the  boy  Mutsuhito  was  kept  pretty  well  informed.  His 
attendants,  while  he  was  still  heir  apparent,  could  and 
would  talk  before  him,  and  the  lessons  thus  gained 
were  a  good  preparation  for  his  future  career. 

We  have  seen  that  Emperor  Komei  died  early  in 
1867,  and  the  boy,  not  yet  fifteen  years  old,  ascended 
the  throne  amid  the  struggles  of  a  civil  war.  His 


282 

actions  were,  of  course,  determined  upon  by  the  kuge 
in  conjunction  with  the  leading  samurai  of  the  allied 
clans.  This  council  communicated  its  decisions  to  the 
imperial  princes  or  miya,  who,  in  their  turn,  imparted 
them  to  the  Tenno.  Thus,  it  was  decided  that  he 
should  personally  receive  the  foreign  ministers,  that 
he  should  marry  the  present  empress,  a  daughter  of  the 
house  of  Ichijd  (ee-chee-joh),  and  that  he  should  leave 
Kyoto  and  take  up  his  residence  in  Yedo,  thereafter 
to  be  called  Tokyo,  or  eastern  capital. 

From  his  education,  the  boy  emperor  had  acquired 
two  valuable  qualities :  obedience  to  the  suggestions  of 
trusty  councilors,  and  that  quiet  submission  to  duty 
which  is  the  foundation  of  character  in  any  boy. 

He  was  the  first  of  his  race  —  since  more  than  a  thou- 
sand years  ago  his  ancestors  had  withdrawn  from  active 
life  —  to  show  himself  freely  to  his  people.  He  dis- 
carded in  public  the  old  national  dress,  and  in  his 
official  life  conforms  to  the  customs  and  manners  of 
a  foreign  court,  although  within  the  privacy  of  his  own 
apartments,  he  prefers  the  dress  and  food  of  his  youth. 

But  what  an  era  does  his  reign  present  to  his  people ! 
Well  may  it  be  called  J/<?z/z'(may-jee),  Enlightened  Prog- 
ress. Under  his  reign  the  palpable  differences  of 
caste  have  disappeared.  No  more  daimio  or  kuge  with 
their  mediaeval  privileges !  No  more  attacks  on  harm- 
less merchants  by  playful  samurai  bent  upon  testing  the 
metal  of  their  swords.  No  more  eta  (ay-tah),  outcasts  of 
society,  but  equality  of  all  before  the  law,  with  a  slight 
reservation  in  favor  of  the  samurai,  or  "official  class"  ! 

And  with  these  changes,  wealth  and  prosperity  have 


283 

come  to  the  people.  The  intercourse  with  other  nations 
has  brought  new  industries.  When  the  Tenno  first 
entered  Yedo,  he  spent  twelve  days  on  the  fatiguing 
journey  from  the  old  imperial  city.  Now  the  iron 
horse  brings  him  there  in  less  than  twenty-four  hours. 
More  than  three  thousand  miles  of  railroad  have  been 
built  with  Japanese  capital  and  enterprise,  and  as  many 
more  are  in  the  course  of  construction.  The  telegraph 


Winding  silk  from  cocoons 

conveys  the  emperor's  commands  to  the  farthest  corner 
of  his  empire;  telephone  and  electric  lights  testify  to 
Japan's  ability  to  appreciate  the  inventions  of  this  age. 

Factories  have  been  built  and  furnish  labor  to  tens 
of  thousands  of  workmen,  while  wages  have  risen 
and  savings  increase.  And  Japan's  army  and  navy, 
too,  —  her  greatest  pride  —  have  kept  pace  with  the 
progress  of  the  times,  and  have  compelled  respect 


284 

from  abroad.  Japan  has  taken  her  place  as  one  of  the 
great  powers  of  the  earth.  Her  flag  begins  to  be  known 
on  the  seas.  Her  merchant  vessels  are  seen  in  Europe, 
Australia,  and  on  the  coast  of  America,  as  well  as  in 
the  eastern  parts  of  the  Pacific.  Her  scholars  com- 
pete with  those  of  western  universities. 

Western  civilization  hails  Japan's  advent.  Mutsuhito 
and  his  empire  have  gained  the  admiration  and  respect 
of  the  world,  and  the  world  acknowledges  the  high 
qualities  of  the  ruling  class,  the  samurai  or  shizoku. 
They  will  be  regarded  with  suspicion  unless  they  forego 
their  scheme  of  revenge,  and  decide  to  enhance  the 
glory  of  their  country  and  its  Tennd  by  other  means 
than  a  career  of  conquest.  But  for  what  they  have 
accomplished  thus  far,  American  boys  and  girls  will 
heartily  join  those  of  Japan  in  shouting :  "  Nippon 
Ban-zai !  (nee-pon  ban-zi)  Long  live  Japan !  " 


National  flag 


INDEX 


Adams,  Will,  visit  to  Japan,  95-103. 

Adzuma,  Naming  of,  22,  23. 

Ainslie,  Dr.,  commissioner,  186. 

Alabama,  Confederate  ship,  224. 

Alexander,  Emperor,  172,  179. 

America,  makes  treaty  with  Korea, 
24,  266;  seeks  trade  with  Japan, 
I9I~I95;  makes  treaty  with  Japan, 
196-208;  punishes  Choshiu,  228, 
229. 

Americans,  at  Nagasaki,  170;  pris- 
oners in  Japan,  194,  195;  Opposi- 
tion to,  216-229;  in  danger  at 
Yokohama,  219;  at  Shimonoseki, 
224;  punish  Choshiu,  228,  229. 

An-jin  Cho,  Pilot  Street,  103. 

Arima,  Daimio  of,  95. 

Arisugawa,  Prince,  217,  254;  com- 
mands samurai,  233;  executive 
of  new  government,  234;  opposes 
rebels,  257,  258. 

Arms,  Japanese,  29. 

Army,  Japanese,  38,  39,  48,  283. 

Art,  Japanese,  34,  35,51. 

Asan,  Chinese  troops  in,  269; 
Japanese  march  on,  270;  Battle 
of,  271. 

Ashikaga  clan,  Regent  of,  62,  63; 
driven  out,  68,  69;  their  treason, 
212. 


Assembly,  Deliberative,  245-247. 
Aulick,  Commodore,  sent  to  Japan, 
196. 


B 


Belcher,  Captain  Edward,  189,  190. 

Betto,  groom,  71. 

Biddle,  Commodore,  in  Japan,  191- 
193- 

Bravest,  Prince  (Yamato  Dake), 
14,  17;  Conquests  of,  18,  19,  20- 
23;  Death  of,  23. 

British,  seek  treaty  with  Japan,  214; 

establish  Japanese  navy,  249. 
j  Buddha,  Worship  of,  29,  30;  Statues 
of,  34,  46. 

Buddhism,  introduced  into  Japan, 
29;  despised  by  samurai,  208. 

Buddhist,  priests,  32,  64,  65,  66; 
temples,  46,  112,  113,238;  cere- 
mony, 50;  convents,  51,  63,  64, 
69,70. 

Bungo,  Daimio  of,  95. 

Butterfly,  emblem  of  Taira  clan,  37. 


California,  Japanese  at,  194. 

Cape    of    Good     Hope,    American 

vessels  at,  197. 
Caprice,  American  vessel,  198. 


285 


286 


Castes  or  class  distinctions,  31,  57, 
246;  Abolishment  of,  282. 

Cathay,  Columbus  seeks  route  to,  65. 

Catherine  II.,  Empress  of  Russia, 
171. 

Cecille,  Admiral,  189,  190. 

Charles  II.,  Marriage  of,  168. 

Cheng-yuen,  battle  ship,  272. 

China,  defeated  by  Hojo,  58,  59; 
Japan's  tribute  to,  67;  Proposed 
conquest  of,  80;  assists  Korea, 
83,  84;  sends  embassy  to  Japan, 
84;  trades  with  Japan,  187;  War 
with,  265-279;  Japan's  treaty 
with,  267;  war  with  Korea,  268; 
is  defeated  at  Asan,  269,  271; 
Capture  of  king  of,  269,  270; 
fights  naval  battle  with  Japan, 
272;  her  loss  on  the  Yellow  Sea, 
273;  is  defeated  at  Port  Arthur, 
275,  276;  her  cruelty  during  the 
war,  275,  276;  loses  Wei-hai- 
wei  and  Niuchwang,  276;  desires 
peace,  276,  277;  employs  Foster 
as  counselor,  278;  makes  treaty 
with  Japan,  279. 

Chinese  writing  and  learning,  31. 

Choshiu  clan,  Daimio  of,  209;  feud 
with  Satsuma,  218;  hostility  to 
foreigners,  222,  228,  229;  opposes 
government,  223;  Plot  of,  223, 
224;  driven  from  Kyoto,  225; 
favors  foreigners,  229;  opposed 
to  peace  policy,  230,  231 ;  relation 
to  new  government,  234,  238; 
return  their  territory  to  Tenno, 
245,  246;  at  Port  Arthur,  274. 

Christianity,  in  Japan,  63-67,  79; 
persecution  of  Christians,  104- 
108;  Removal  of  edict  against,  108. 

Chrysanthemum,  imperial  Japanese 
emblem,  167. 


Civil  wars  in  Japan,  38-40,  41-55, 
56-62,  130-136, 142-167,  207-213, 
214-229,  230-234,  248,  254,  281. 

Civilization  of  Japanese,  in  Perry's 
time,  207-213;  Modern,  262. 

Clans  of  Japan,  37-40.  (See  also 
Ashikaga,  Choshiu,  Fujiwara, 
Hizen,  Minamoto,  Satsuma,  Taira, 
Tokugawa.) 

Cleopatre,  French  vessel,  190. 

Cloud  Cluster,  Yamato  Dake's  sword, 

17- 

Coins,  Japanese,  29. 
Columbia  River,  Japanese  near,  187. 
Columbus,  American  vessel,  191. 
Columbus,  Christopher,  Voyages  of, 

65- 

Conscription  system  established,  249. 

Conspiracy,  in  Kyoto,  72;  of  Tosa, 
130-134;  against  court  noble,  151- 
164. 

Constitution,  People  of  Japan  de- 
mand, 260,  261 ;  published,  263. 

Council  of  samurai,  282. 

Court  noble,  conflict  with  daimio, 
145-167. 

D 

Dai  Butsu,  Statue  of,  46,  51. 

Dai  Kun,  Title  of,  216. 

Daimio  (chieftains),  65,  66,  78;  un- 
der lyeyasu,  88,  89;  of  clans,  92, 
93,  94;  conspire  against  lyeyasu, 
130,  131  ;  Court  duties  of,  143-145; 
Condemnation  of,  145,  146;  Civil 
strife  of,  209,  210;  meeting  to 
form  government,  232;  their  im- 
potence, 246;  Income  of,  247;  the 
class  abolished,  282. 

Deshima,    trading    post,    106,    109, 

IIO,   III. 

Diana,  Russian  ship,  179,  180,  215. 


28; 


Diet,  adopted  in  Japan,   262,  263; 

Session  of,  277,  278. 
Dragon  King,  26,  27. 
Dutch  in  Japan,  95-103,   105,  106, 

109-111,  118-124,  187. 


Education  in   Japan,  31,   249,  250, 

284. 

Electricity  in  modern  Japan,  283. 
Eliza,  American  vessel,  168,  169. 
Emperors  of  Japan.  See  Tenno. 
England,  at  war  with  Dutch,  181; 

signs  revised  treaty,  264;    makes 

treaty  with  Korea,  266. 
English,  trade   in  Japan,   181-190; 

attacked   by  Satsuma,  226,  227; 

bombard  Kagoshima,  227. 
Enomoto,    Flight    of,    233;     made 

minister  to  Russia,  233,  234. 
Eta  class  (outcasts),  abolished,  282. 
Eto  Shimpei,  Rebellion  of,  252,  255. 
Executions  in  Japan,  135. 


Feudal  system,  Fall  of,  245,  246. 
Financial     conditions     in     modern 

Japan,  283,  284. 
Flag,  Army,    274  ;   Imperial,   280 ;  j 

National,  284. 
Foreigners,  admitted  to  Japan,  228,  j 

229 ;  demand  execution  of  samurai, 

240;    visit   the   Tenno,  241-251; 

in  Japanese  courts,  261-264;   sign 

revised  treaty,  264. 
Formosa  ceded  to  Japan,  279. 
Foster,     John     W.,    counselor     for 

China,  278. 
France  punishes  Choshiu,  228,  229; 

starts  Japanese  army,  249;  makes 


treaty  with  Korea,  266;   interferes 

in  Japan's  treaty  with  China,  279. 
Free   lances  or   ronin,  91,  92,  220, 

222;    The    forty-seven,    143-167, 

211. 

French  Revolution,  172. 
Fuji  Yama,  volcano,  18,  19. 
Fujiwara  clan,  37,  38,  39,  40, 45. 
Funeral,  Japanese,  158. 
Fushimi,  Battle  of,  232. 


Gama,  Vasco  da,  Voyages  of,  65. 
Geisinger,  Commodore,  194. 
Gentian,  emblem  of  Minamoto  clan, 

37.  167. 
German  Congress  adopted  in  Japan, 

262,  263. 
Germany,  makes  treaty  with  Korea, 

266. 

Glynn,  Commander  James,  196. 
Godaigo,  Emperor,  59-62. 
Golownin,  Captain,  imprisoned,  172- 

180. 
Gordon,  Captain,  attempts  trade  with 

Japan,  187. 

Goto,  opposes  feudal  system,  245,  246. 
Government   of  Japan,  its   attitude 

toward  foreigners,  214-227;  New, 

230-234,  244,  245,  262-264;  aims 

at  reform,  241-251;   Experiments 

of,  250. 


Hakodate,  Russians  at,  171,  175, 
176;  Diana  at,  180;  American 
trade  with,  205. 

Hakone  Lake,  20. 

Hakone  Mountains,  20,  44,  45. 

Hall,  Dr.,  builds  residence  at  Yoko- 
hama, 219. 


288 


Hara-kiri  (suicide),  Description  of 
58,  157,  236,  238-240;  Proposed 
abolition  of,  246,  247. 

Harris,  Townsend,  first  American 
consul  in  Japan,  214;  raises 
American  flag,  219;  in  Yedo,  221 

Heimin  class,  common  people,  246. 

Hemi,  Adams'  tomb  at,  103. 

Hepburn,  Dr.,  American  missionary, 
227. 

Heusken,  Murder  of,  220,  221. 

Hideyori,  appointed  prime  minister, 
85;  Marriage  of,  130. 

Hideyoshi,  serves  as  betto,  71,  72; 
in  power,  74-78;  becomes  prime 
minister,  79,80-8=;,  266;  Death  of, 

85- 

Hikone,  Daimio  of,  215. 

Hiogo,  Defeat  at,  62;  Samurai  at- 
tack on,  235-237;  Port  opened  at, 
232. 

Hiroshima,  Tenno  at,  277. 

Histories  of  Japan,  31,  208. 

Hita  ni  iru,  "  Down  on  your  knees," 
140,  141. 

Hitotsubashi  Tokugawa,  becomes  re- 
gent, 229;  visits  Tenno,  230,  231 ; 
resigns,  231;  driven  away,  232, 
233- 

Hizen,  Dutch  at,  114. 

Hizen  clan,  185;    attack  foreigners, 

235-237- 
Hojo,  assists  Yoritomo,  43;   becomes 

regent's  guardian,  52;    in  power, 

53-58;   loses  power,  59-61. 
Hokkaido,   Russians    at,    171,  180; 

American  trade  with,  205;    Eno- 

moto  flees  to,  233. 
Holland,  trade  with  Japan,  67,  168, 

169,209;  wars  with  England,  181; 

a  part  of  France,   186;    punishes 

Choshiu,  228,  229. 


Hollyhock,  emblem  of  lyeyasu,  167. 
Hondo,  Conquest  of,  23;    Dutch  at, 

114;    American  trade  with,  205; 

Location  of,  224. 
Hong  Kong,  Aulick  at,  196;    Perry 

at,  203. 

House  of  Lords,  Japanese,  262,  263. 
House  of  Representatives,  Japanese, 

262,  263. 


Ichijo,  Mutsuhito's  marriage  with, 
282. 

li  Naosuke,  favors  lyemochi,  215; 
his  attitude  toward  samurai,  221; 
Murder  of,  222. 

Inari,  god  of  rice,  77. 

Inland  Sea,  Battle  of,  48,  49. 

Inouye,  goes  to  England,  222;  be- 
comes minister  of  state,  223;  sues 
for  peace,  229. 

Ito  Shunske,  goes  to  England,  222; 
appointed  prime  minister,  223; 
sues  for  peace,  228;  governor  of 
Hiogo,  237,  238;  visits  Europe, 
262;  appointed  admiral  of  Japan- 
ese fleet,  272;  confers  with  Li 
Hung  Chang,  278. 

[wakura,  leader  in  revolution,  217; 
favors  union  of  clans,  231 ;  execu- 
tive officer  of  new  government, 
234;  opposes  feudal  system,  245, 
246;  at  Tokyo,  253. 

yemitsu,  regent,  132. 

yemochi,  regent,  215;  attitude  to- 
ward samurai,  219-229;  Death  of, 
229. 

yeyasu,  Descent  of,  86;  becomes 
real  ruler  of  Japan,  87-94;  his 
policy  toward  the  Dutch,  98,  99, 
101-103,  109-117;  opposed  to 


289 


Christianity,  105;  Temple  of,  105; 
Conspiracy  against,  130,  131;  Cus- 
toms at  time  of,  135;  Heirs  of,  137; 
Policy  of  seclusion  of,  168,  190; 
Descendants  of,  207-210, 215, 281 ; 
Opposition  to  family  of,  209-213. 


Java,  captured  by  the  English,  185, 

1 86. 
Jimmu,  first  emperor  of  Japan,  9,  12, 

14. 
Jingu,  Empress,  invades  Korea,  24- 

28,  8 1,  266. 

Jinrikisha  coolies,  248. 
Judges,  Japanese,  126,  127. 
Jurisdiction  over  foreigners,  Japanese, 

261-264. 


Kagoshima,  Americans  at,  189; 
English  bombard,  227;  Shimadzu 
Saburo  at,  253;  arsenal  captured, 
256,  257;  Capture  of,  258. 

Kamakura,  Minamoto  and  Taira 
clans  near,  45,  46,  47,  49,  55,  60. 

Kamchatka,  Russians  at,  172,  180. 

Kanagawa,  Foreigners  in,  215,  219. 

Kazoku  class  formed,  246,  253. 

Keiki,  becomes  regent,  229,  230; 
resigns,  231;  driven  away,  232, 

233- 

Kerai  or  councilors,  2IO. 

Kido,  favors  union  of  clans,  218,  231 ; 
his  relation  to  the  new  govern- 
ment, 234;  his  influence  at  court, 
241-243;  opposed  to  feudal  sys- 
tem, 245,  246;  opposed  to  Korean 
war,  248. 

Kim  ok  Kyun,  Plot  and  murder  of, 
266. 

STO.  OF  JAPAN  —  19 


Kimono,  cotton  gowns,  222. 

King,  C.  W.,  negotiates  for  treaty, 
189;  attacked  by  Satsuma,  227. 

Kiushiu,  Rebellion  at,  14-16;  Con- 
quest of,  23;  Jingu's  army  at,  26; 
Pirates  near,  38;  Taira  escapes 
to,  47;  St.  Francis  Xavier  preaches 
at,  66;  Rebels  at,  255;  Character 
of  country  around,  257,  258. 

Kobe,  Attack  on,  240. 

Kokura,  Dutch  at,  112. 

Komei,  Death  of  Tenno,  230;  Seclu- 
sion of,  280,  281. 

Korea,  Description  of,  24,  25 ;  makes 
treaty  with  America,  24,  266; 
First  invasion  of,  24-28;  Japanese 
claim  to,  28;  sends  missionaries  to 
Japan,  29,  30;  Second  invasion  of, 
79-85;  Feeling  against  Japan  in, 
84;  Proposed  conquest  of,  247, 
248;  insults  Japan,  265;  Poor 
government  of,  266;  makes  trea- 
ties with  various  nations,  266;  con- 
sidered Japanese  province,  266; 
Rebellion  in,  267;  Japanese  war 
in,  268,  269,  270;  declared  inde- 
pendent, 279. 

Kowshing,  English  vessel,  268. 

Kozoku  class  or  princes,  246. 

Kuge  class  or  court  nobles,  217,  260; 
abolished,  282. 

Kurile  Islands,  Russians  at,  172,  180. 

Kwammu,  Emperor,  33. 

Kyoto,  capital,  34,  35;  Battles  at, 
39,  40,  62,  71,  225;  Minamoto  and 
Taira  clans  at,  45,  47,  53,  60,  61 ; 
plundered,  63;  Chinese  ambassa- 
dors in,  84;  Dutch  at,  115;  Im- 
portance of,  209,  210;  Feeling 
toward  America  in,  217  ;  For- 
eigners in,  241-251;  Railroad  to, 
255,  256;  Tenno,  palace  in,  280. 


290 


Lacquer  ware,  Japanese,  34,  35. 

Lagoda,  Wreck  of,  194. 

Lake  Hakone,  Situation  of,  20. 

Laws,  Execution  of,  89,  90;   against 
foreigners,  106,  107. 

Laxman  at  Hakodate,  171,  172. 

Letter,  of  Polk  to  Emperor,  191,  192, 
201,  202. 

Lexington,  American  vessel,  203. 

Li  Hung  Chang,  advises  Korea,  266; 
confers  with  Japan,  278. 

Liao-tung,   Japanese    at,    273;     de- 
manded by  Japan,  279. 

Light-the-Fire,  Adventures  of,  10-13. 

Loo   Choo    Islands,  Perry    at,    198, 
203. 

Lord  of  Golden  Water  Gourds,  74- 
78. 

M 

Macao,  Japanese  at,  187,  188. 
MacDougal,  Captain  David,  224. 
Macedonian,  American  vessel,  203. 
Magellan  Straits,  Dutch  at,  96,  97. 
Manchuria,  Invasion  of,  272. 
Mandarins,  267. 
Marco  Polo,  visits  China,  65. 
Mare  Island,  Japanese  at,  194. 
Matsumai,  Russians  at,  177-179. 
Matsura,  Judge,  127,  128,  129. 
Mauritius,  American  vessels  at,  197. 
Mayhay,  Dutch  admiral,  96. 
Meiji,  "  progress,"  282. 
Metal  work,  Japanese,  29,  34,  51. 
Mikado,  Tenno,  216. 
Min,  prime  minister  of  Korea,  267. 
Minamoto    clan,    36—40;    defeated, 

41-46;  in  power,  47-51;  Downfall 

of,  52-55,  61. 
Ministers,  appointed  in  Japan,  29-34. 


Mississippi,   American   vessel,    197, 

198,  203. 
Mito,  Daimio  of,  118,  208,  215,  217, 

221. 

Miya,  princes,  217,  282. 
Moro,  Captain,  plots  against  Japan, 

106,  107. 
Morrison,     American    vessel,    188, 

189. 

Moukden,  Proposed  capture  of,  276. 
Mutsuhito,  Emperor,  142,  230,  277 ; 

Birth  and  education  of,  280,  281; 

Character  and  marriage  of,   282; 

Progress   during   his   reign,   282- 

284. 


Nagasaki,  Dutch  trading  post,  109; 

Americans  at,   169,   170;   English 

at,  181. 

Nara,  Capital  at,  34,  60. 
Navy  of  modern  Japan,  283. 
New  Japan,  244. 
Newspapers  in  Japan,  260,  261. 
Nihon  bashi,  bridge,  120. 
Ninigi,  first  ruler  of  Japan,  9,  10,  12. 
Nippon,  name  of  Japan,  12. 
Niuchwang,  captured,  276. 
Nobles,  Election  and  powers  of,  263. 
Nobunaga,    becomes    general,    68; 

becomes  vice  regent,  69-72;    his 

death,  73;   Opposition  to,  79. 
Norimono,  chair,  in. 


Odawara,  Location  of,  20. 

Okubo,  favors  union  of  clans,  218, 
231;  appointed  minister  to  Korea, 
234;  his  influence  at  court,  241- 
243;  opposed  to  feudal  system, 
245,  246;  opposed  to  Korean  war, 


248;   introduces  conscription,  249, 

252;   assassinated,  260. 
Okuma,  prime  minister,  262. 
Omura,  Daimio  of,  95,  183. 
Ono,  purposes  to  abolish  hara-kiri, 

246;   murdered,  247. 
Osaka,   built,  34,  64;   Siege  of,  69- 

71;  Court  at,  99;   Dutch  at,  115; 

Situation  of,  125,  126;  Opening  of 

port  at,  232. 
Otori,  Japanese  minister  to  Korea, 

267,  268;   orders  Chinese  to  with- 
draw, 269. 
Outward  Island,  Dutch  trading  post, 

109. 
Oyama,    Marshal,    at    Ta-lien-wan, 

274;  captures  Wei-hai-wei,  276. 


Palace,  Japanese,  41,  80. 

Parliament,  Japanese  people  de- 
mand, 260,  261 ;  granted,  263. 

Pechili,  Situation  of  Gulf  of,  273. 

Peking,  Japanese  minister  at,  268; 
Yamagata's  march  to,  273. 

Pellew,  Captain,  in  Japan,  181-184. 

Pembroke  fired  upon,  224. 

Pension  granted  to  daimio  and 
samurai,  247,  248. 

Perry,  Commodore,  makes  treaty 
with  Japan,  196-206;  Japan  at 
time  of,  207—213;  his  influence 
on  the  Japanese,  280,  281. 

Phaeton,  British  ship,  1 8 1,  187. 

Ping-yang,  Korean  king  at,  83; 
Chinese  troops  at,  271;  Capture 
of,  272. 

Pinto  introduces  guns,  66. 

Plymouth,  American  vessel,  197,  198. 

Polk,  President,  his  letter  to  Japan, 

IQI,  192,  2OI,  2O2. 


Port  Arthur,  Location  of,  273;  cap- 
tured by  Japanese,  274,  275; 
Slaughter  at,  276. 

Portuguese,  in  China,  65,  66;  in 
Japan,  65,  66,  95;  opposed  to 
Dutch,  98,  100,  101;  missionaries 
in  Japan,  104;  excluded  from 
Japan,  107. 

Powhatan,  American  vessel,  203. 

Preble,  rescues  American  prisoners, 
194-196. 

Progress,  Japanese,  51,  167,  228, 
259-264,  282-284. 

Put-the-Fire-Out,  Adventures  of,  10- 
13- 


Raffles,  Sir  Stamford,  Governor  of 
Java,  185-187. 

Rai  Sanyo,  historian,  208. 

Railroads  in  Japan,  First,  255,  256; 
Modern,  283. 

Rebellion  at  Kiushiu,  14-16;  of 
1877,  56,  57;  of  Christians,  108; 
of  samurai  prevented,  249;  of 
Eto  Shimpei,  252,  255;  of  Sat- 
suma,  255-258. 

Red  Cross  Society  in  China,  275. 

Reforms  in  Japan,  265. 

Regents,  Power  of,  55;    Shadow,  55. 

Resanoff,  ambassador  to  Japan,  172. 

Revolution  in  Japan,  217,  218. 

Rice,  staple  food,  77. 

Richardson,  Murder  of,  226,  227. 

Rikord,  Russian  captain,  179,  180. 

R8nin  (free  lances),  91,  92;  In- 
crease in  numbers  of,  220;  Mur- 
der of  li  Naosuke  by,  222;  The 
forty-seven,  143-167,  211. 

Russians,  in  Japan,  171-180;  de- 
sire treaty  with  Japan,  214; 
make  treaty  with  Korea,  266. 


292 


S 


Saghalien  granted  to  Russia,  220. 

Saigo  Takamori,  favors  union  of 
clans,  218;  Plot  of,  223;  com- 
mands samurai,  233;  his  relation 
to  samurai,  247,  248,  249;  Story 
of,  252-258;  Rebellion  of,  255- 
258;  Death  of,  258. 

Sakura,  castle  gate,  222. 

Samarang,  British  vessel,  189,  190. 

Samurai  class  (soldiers)  formed,  57, 
58;  Idleness  of,  79,  80;  under 
lyeyasu,  90;  their  influence  in 
clans,  92,  93;  Privileges  of,  135; 
Character  of,  143-146;  oppose  re- 
gent, 146,  147;  Loyalty  of,  152; 
Heroism  of,  147-167;  murder 
court  noble,  165;  in  1854,  207- 
213;  opposed  to  Tokugawa  clan, 
210-213,  2I6;  their  attitude  to- 
ward foreigners,  215,  216,  219- 
221;  opposed  to  treaty  with  Amer- 
ica, 217;  Patriotism  of,  223;  of 
Choshiu  and  Satsuma  clans,  224, 
225;  beaten  by  the  English,  228; 
opposed  to  northern  clans,  233; 
their  relation  to  the  new  gov- 
ernment, 234,  245-249,  252-258, 
262—264;  attack  on  foreigners,  235- 
237;  Clan  feeling  of,  239;  their 
eagerness  for  knowledge,  249,  250; 
conciliated  by  government,  256, 
257;  Last  of  the  Old,  258;  opposed 
to  reform,  259;  control  news- 
papers, 260-264;  their  plans  of 
revenge,  265,  266;  at  Port  Arthur, 
274;  resent  interference  of  the 
powers,  279;  in  Mutsuhito's  reign, 
282;  Prospect  for  modern,  284. 

Sanjo,  leader  in  revolution,  217; 
favors  union  of  clans,  231;  his 


relation  to  the  new  government, 
234- 

Saratoga,  American  vessel,  197,  198, 
203. 

Satsuma  clan,  hostile  to  lyeyasu,  209, 
210;  feud  with  Choshiu,  218;  op- 
posed to  government,  223;  attack 
on  English,  226-228 ;  in  favor 
of  admitting  foreigners,  229;  op- 
posed to  union  of  clans,  230,  231; 
opposed  to  northern  clans,  233; 
their  relation  to  the  new  govern- 
ment, 234,  238,  252-258;  their 
territory  returned  to  government, 
245,  246;  Rebellion  of,  255-258; 
in  command  at  Port  Arthur,  274. 

Satsuma  ware,  84. 

Schools  in  Japan,  249,  250. 

Shanghai,  Kim  ok  Kyun  murdered 
at,  266. 

Shan-tung  peninsula,  Location  of, 
273,  274;  Oyama  at,  276. 

Shikoku,  Pirates  near,  38. 

Shimabara,  Battle  at,  108. 

Shimadzu  Saburo,  retires  to  Kago- 
shima,  253. 

Shimoda,  American  trade  with,  205; 
Harbor  of,  215,  216. 

Shimonoseki,  Straits  of,  223,  224, 
237;  Peace  negotiations  at,  278; 
Treaty  of,  279. 

Shinto  religion,  208. 

Shizoku  class,  samurai,  246;  Respect 
for  modern,  284. 

Shizuoka,  Keiki  retires  to,  233. 

Shufeldt,  Commodore,  signs  treaty 
with  Korea,  266. 

Siebold,  Dr.  von,  in  Japan,  1 1 2- 
117. 

Sill,  J.  N.  B.,  minister  to  Korea, 
267. 

Soshi  class,  vagabonds,  278,  279. 


293 


Soul,    captured    by    Japanese,    83; 

Japanese  trade  with,  265 ;   Chinese 

and  Japanese  at,  268,  269. 
Southampton,  English  vessel,  203. 
Spanish  missionaries  in  Japan,  104. 
Spies,  Official,  82;    under   lyeyasu, 

88,89;   of  court  noble,  147-155. 
Stewart,  Arrest  of,  170,  171. 
St.    Francis   Xavier,   in   Japan,   65, 

66,  67. 

Students,  Japanese,  250. 
Superstition  in  Japan,  76-78. 
Supply,  American  vessel,  197,  198, 

203.' 
Susquehanna,  American  vessel,  196, 

198,  203. 
Swords,  Japanese,  56,  57. 


Taiko  Sama,  85.     (See  Hideyoshi.) 

Taira  clan,  37,  38,  39,40;  in  power, 
41-46;  defeated,  46,  47,  54. 

Ta-lien-wan,  Japanese  army  at,  273, 
274. 

Tatung  River,  Korean  king  takes 
refuge  at,  83;  Chinese  troops  at, 
271. 

Telegraph  in  Japan,  206,  257,  283. 

Telephone  in  Japan,  283. 

Tenno,  name  of  Japanese  emperor, 
12  ;  Seclusion  of,  32—34,  40;  Im- 
potence of,  55;  Worship  of,  208; 
Komei  makes  concessions  to 
Americans,  218,  219;  Proposed 
capture  of  Komei,  225;  Mutsu- 
hito  leaves  seclusion,  241-251; 
Mutsuhito's  powers,  263. 

Tenshi  Sama,  Japanese  ruler,  12. 

Ting-yuen,  battle  ship,  272. 

Tojin,  foreigners,  216. 

Tokugawa  clan  (see  lyeyasu);  Op- 


position to  rule  of,  208,  209,  211, 
225,  229;  Power  and  officers  of, 
210,  212;  Samurai  of,  213;  Open- 
ing of  ports  belonging  to,  213; 
concessions  to  foreigners,  215,216; 
loses  its  influence,  217,  218;  pro- 
tects foreigners,  22O;  Defeat  of 
troops  of,  223;  Resignation  of,  230, 
231;  defeated  at  Fushimi,  232; 
its  relation  to  the  new  government, 
233- 

Tokyo  or  Yedo,  Temple  at,  30; 
lyeyasu  builds  home  at,  86; 
Dutch  at,  ill,  118;  Fire  in,  118- 
121;  Daimio  quarter  in,  144; 
Conspirators  arrive  at,  162;  Street 
in,  184;  Samurai  journey  to,  219; 
Foreign  ministers  at,  220,  229; 
Surrender  of,  233;  becomes  capi- 
tal, 244,  282 ;  Satsuma  clan  at,  253. 

Torture,  Government  resorts  to,  133, 
134- 

Tosa  clan,  Conspiracy  and  death  of 
daimio  of,  130-135;  its  hostility 
to  the  government,  209;  wishes 
to  appoint  regent,  225 ;  returns 
territory  to  government,  246. 

Trade  with  Japan,  Foreigners'  at- 
tempts at,  168-173;  England's 
attempts  at,  181-190;  United 
States'  attempts  at,  191-195 ; 
United  States'  success  in,  196-206. 

Trade  with  Soul,  Japanese,  265. 

Treaties,  of  America  with  Korea,  24, 
266  ;  of  America  with  Japan,  205, 
214;  signing  of  new,  219;  with 
America  ratified,  234,  241  ;  Revi- 
sion of  foreign, 261-264;  of  Japan 
with  China,  279. 

Tsuji,  convicted  of  theft,  125-128; 
pardoned,  129. 

Tycoon,  Regent  takes  title  of,  2 1 6. 


294 


United  States,  makes  treaty  with 
Korea,  24,  266;  seeks  trade  with 
Japan,  191-195;  makes  treaty 
with  Japan,  196-208;  punishes 
Choshiu  clan,  228,  229. 

Uraga,  Americans  at,  204,  205. 

Uyeno  Heights,  Battle  of,  233. 


Vandalia,  American  vessel,  203. 
Venice,  Japanese  embassy  to,  66,  67. 
Vincennes,    American    vessel,    191, 
193- 

W 

War  junks,  25,  26. 

War,  with  Kiushiu,  14-18;  with 
Eastern  nations,  18—20 ;  with 
China,  265-279 ;  of  Japanese  in 
Korea,  268-270.  (See  also  Civil 
wars.) 

Weapons,  Japanese,  1 6. 

Wei-hai-wei,  Chinese  retreat  to,  273; 
captured  by  Japanese,  276. 

Wistaria,  emblem  of  Fujiwara  clan, 

37- 
Women,  Japanese,  21,  22,  139,  142, 

154,  156,  157. 

Writing,  Japanese  and  Chinese,  31. 
Wyoming,  war  ship,  224. 


Xavier,    St.    Francis,    missionary   in 
Japan,  65,  66,  67. 


Yalu  River,  Japanese  at,  272. 

Yamagata,  Field  Marshal,  272. 

Yamagi,  commander  at  Port  Arthur, 
274,  275. 

Yamato,  name  of  Japan,  23. 

Yamato  Dake,  Story  of,  14-19; 
Naming  of,  15-17,  19;  Conquests 
of,  20-23;  Death  of,  23. 

Yamato  Damashii,  rallying  cry,  23, 
209,  218,  281. 

Yashiki  or  residences,  155,  163,  222. 

Yedo.     See  Tokyo. 

Yedo  Bay,  lyeyasu  made  governor 
of,  86;  Perry  at,  197,  198,  199. 

Yellow  Sea,  Naval  battle  in,  272; 
Japanese  become  masters  of,  273. 

Yodo  River,  Taira  flees  to,  47; 
Battle  at,  76. 

Yokohama,  Situation  of,  20;  Perry's 
negotiations  at,  205;  Americans 
remove  to,  219;  Murder  of  foreign- 
ers in,  219,  220 ;  Ministers  re- 
move to,  221;  Feeling  against 
Satsuma  in,  227. 

Yokosuka,  Situation  of,  103. 

Yoritomo,  leader  of  Minamoto  clan, 
42,43;  Flight  of,  44-46;  becomes 
regent,  50,  51;  Death  of,  52. 

Yoshitsune  (Young  Ox),  Youth  of, 
42-45;  Story  of,  47-50. 

Yuan,  Chinese  minister  to  Korea, 
267. 


Zipangu,  name  given   to   China  by 
Marco  Polo,  65. 


Typography  by  J.  S.  Gushing  &  Co.,  Norwood,  Mass. 


A  TRIP  THROUGH  ASIA  WITH  THE  CHILDREN  " 


Carpenter's  Geographical  Reader — Asia 

By  FRANK  G.  CARPENTER.    Cloth,  i2mo,  304  pages.    With 

colored  Maps  and  numerous  Illustrations. 
Price,  60  cents 

In  the  interest  of  its  subjects,  as  well  as  in  its  artistic, 
literary,  and  mechanical  execution,  this  new  Geographical 
Reader  is  by  far  the  most  attractive  and  noteworthy  book 
of  its  kind.  It  combines  in  one  volume  studies  in  geog- 
raphy to  supplement  the  regular  text-books  in  use,  and  a 
book  of  travels  adapted  to  serve  as  a  reading  book  in 
school  or  in  the  home. 

The  studies  in  geography  are  not  mere  compilations 
from  other  books,  or  stories  of  imaginary  travels,  but  are 
based  on  actual  travel  and  personal  observation.  The 
author,  who  is  an  experienced  traveler  and  writer,  has 
given  interesting  and  vivacious  descriptions  of  his  recent 
extended  journeys  through  the  different  countries  of  Asia, 
together  with  graphic  pictures  of  their  native  peoples,  just 
as  they  are  found  to-day  in  their  homes  and  at  their 
work.  This  has  been  done  in  such  simple  language  and 
charming  manner  as  to  make  each  chapter  in  the  book 
as  entertaining  as  a  story. 

The  interest  and  effectiveness  of  the  book  are  greatly 
enhanced  by  the  illustrations  found  on  almost  every  page. 
These  are  all  new,  being  mostly  reproductions  from  photo- 
graphs taken  by  the  author  on  the  ground.  The  book  is 
also  well  supplied  with  maps  of  Asia  and  all  the  countries 
described. 


Copies  of  Carpenter  s  Geographical  Reader  will  be  sent,  prepaid,  to  any 
address,  on  receipt  of  the  price,  by  the  Publishers  : 

American  Book  Company 

New  York  «  Cincinnati  »  Chicago 


(47) 


GEOGRAPHY 


Natural  Elementary  Geography 

By  JACQUES  W.  REDWAY,  F.R.G.S.  Linen  Binding, 
Quarto,  144  pages.  With  numerous  Maps  and  Illus- 
trations .....  Price,  60  cents 
The  publication  of  the  Natural  Elementary  Geography 

marks  a  new  era  in  the  study  and  teaching  of  geography. 

Some    of    the    important  features  which   distinguish   this 

book  from  all  other  primary  geographies  are: 

Central  Idea. — The  study  of  man  in  his  geographic  rela- 
tions, leading  to  the  industrial  and  commercial  treat- 
ment of  countries  and  cities. 

Method  — Development  of  the  subject  in  a  perfectly 
natural  manner;  hence  the  title — the  Natural  Series 
of  Geographies. 

Treatment. —  Simple,  inductive,  and  progressive. 

Maps. — The  physical  relief  maps  and  colored  political 
maps  are  distinct  and  easily  read.  Those  of  corre- 
sponding divisions  are  drawn  on  a  uniform  scale  to 
facilitate  direct  comparison  of  areas. 

Illustrations. — The  subject-matter  is  made  clear  and  im- 
pressive by  attractive  and  appropriate  pictures  on 
almost  every  page. 

Other  Special  Features. — Topical  outlines  for  language 
work;  exercises  in  correlation  and  comparisons;  nat- 
ural subdivisions  of  continents  and  countries;  use  of 
suggestive  questions,  etc. 

THE  NATURAL  ADVANCED  GEOGRAPHY  is  in  prepa- 
ration. 

An  Illustrated  Circular  describing  the  plan  and  method 
of  the  Natural  Elementary  Geography  will  be  sent  free  to 
any  address  on  application. 


Copies  of  the  Natural  Elementary  Geography  will  be  sent  prepaid  to  any 
address,  on  receipt  of  the  price,  by  the  Publishers  : 

American   Book  Company 

New  York  »  Cincinnati  »  Chicago 

(48) 


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